An Old Beginning
by littlekawaiifirefox
Summary: I hate summaries so I'll let my story do the talking, although, I must warn you about the first chapter. Not the epilogue, the actual first chapter. I was experimenting and it went horribly wrong. The rest is fine though, I think.Please enjoy & R&R.HIEIxO
1. Prologue

**Light flashes, reflected off of the two swords clashing in midair; one sword an earthly green, the other deathly black. Green light can be seen from the woman's spirit energy attacks, while the man's black energy blocks hers. Suddenly, somehow, the woman is on one knee, and the man is pointing her own sword to her heart. She stands up slowly, and as she does so, the man thrusts the sword into the middle of her chest, attaching her to a huge oak tree while casting a heavy sleeping spell on her. As the spell sets in, the woman glares at the man with a deadly promise. The world goes black.**

I know it's short but I promise the rest is much longer!!! Please review!! I would enjoy hearing what you think!!

I, obviously, do NOT own YYH. In any way, shape, or form. Also, this is COMPLETE fiction!!! Do not get angry because of how I set my own characters in relationship to the original ones, because it is JUST fiction. My way. So, please do not give me angry thoughts, unless you are angry with a something goes, then you may express that anger and I will be more than happy to explain the method to my madness!!


	2. Chapter 1: The Mission

For those who don't know (it took me a few seconds to figure out) POV stands for "point of view". Enjoy the story!!

**Setting: 125 years before the emerging of Team Urameshi.**

**Koenma (POV)**

**A young, green-skinned, eye-covered man is being escorted into my office by my trusty Ogre. He is shirtless, showing many old scars on his chest, back, and face, while his black pants are travel worn from the constant friction caused by his extreme speeds.**

"**What exactly have you brought me here for?" the young man asks. I look at him through my squinted eyes before replying, deciphering whether or not he's the one for the job. I decide he's perfect.**

"**Hiei, I have brought you here to ask for your help. Now-"**

"**I don't do charity work." The young man named Hiei glares at me as I quickly response-**

"**Of course, you will be paid in full, but you must promise to help. And, until you have finished your job, you will not be paid. You see, it's a trust issue." Too many times have I paid someone in advance and then been double-crossed. Hiei nodded his head. Good. He understood.**

"**So. What's the job?" That's the part I don't like. Giving out the job description is never to the employee's liking. And Hiei just happens to be one of the hardest people to please. **_**Great.**_

"**Our spirit detective has gone missing. For some time too, and-" I'm interrupted again…**

**Hiei (POV)**

"**You're sending me on a rescue mission?"**

"**Well, yes. It is, but for a VERY important person. Our Spirit Detective to be exact. Personally, I highly value my life and would like to get her rescued ASAP."**

"**HER?? Our spirit detective is a GIRL??" I can't believe my ears. All the talk about the tough new S.D. and "his" no mercy tactics, and "he" turns out to be a "she". Great. Oh well, might as well get this over with…**

"**Yes our Spir-"**

"**Where do I need to look?" Koenma gets an agitated look on his face, and I glare back at him. So what if I interrupted? I just want to get this rescue thing over with. As Koenma was catching himself making the face, he recollects himself and starts talking in that annoying little kid voice that I hate.**

"**I don't know her exact location, but I know that she is located somewhere within the Forest of Lost Demon Souls. While you are there, you will meet someone else there who is looking for her also. Travel with him. He will know how to find her faster than you."**

**Was that an insult? I can feel my temper rising as I think about it and almost decline his offer, but then I remember how much I need the money. Times have been rough lately.**

"**Fine. I'll go, but I'm short on a weapon. If I fight anything I'll be at a bit of a disadvantage."**

"**I don't think you will find you are at a disadvantage. There are no fortresses in the Forest. Besides, your guide is well armed and has very high capabilities." So, Koenma's telling me that I have to rely on someone **_**else**_** for my life?? Oh, HELL no! I do NOT like that at ALL! And I'll make sure I let him know with no mercy.**

**Koenma (POV)**

**Boy, did I get an ear full. In order to get him out of my office and on to the mission, I had no choice but to give him a weapon.**

**The sword was old and a bit decrepit, but it would serve its purposes. As soon as Hiei took hold of the sword, he vanished.**

**Afterwards, Ogre looked at me and said, "That Hiei is one interesting character." I only nodded in agreement. Indeed he was; indeed he was.**

**Hiei (POV)**

**The sword I received was in bad shape, but it's worth more than the baby king thought it is. There was no way that kid would lend me something he thought was worth something, even if it wasn't worth much.**

**With the sword in hand, I made my way to the Forest that would, on any other occasion, be off limits. So, why would the Koenma brat let his precious spirit detective enter this forest? It seemed too suspicious. My thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a young, white-haired fox man standing at the edge of the trees, gazing into its gaping blackness.**

**As I near him, he looks my way and a small smile creeps into his lips. His eyes, however, remain grave and saddened. I wonder what could make him feel so.**

"**You must be Hiei. I heard you would be coming to aid me in my search. My name is Kurama. Shall we begin?"**


	3. Chapter 2: Over the River and Through

A/N: okay…well…I am SO sorry!! I completely changed the story point of view. I'm not crazy about going back and forth between different points of view. So, I'm converting from that to an outsider's point of view. It will make things SO much easier on me and hopefully make the reading for you readers out there reading my story. (THANK YOU SO MUCH!! -) anyway, sorry for the change!! I hope it doesn't completely throw anyone off or confuse them!! If it does feel free to message me and I will correct the problem!!

**Chapter 2: Over the River and Through the Woods**

**Hiei gaped at the strange youko that had just called him by name. It took him a few blinks before he realized that the golden-eyed demon had just said "help".**

**Oh, great, thought Hiei, just what I need. A **_**partner.**_

"**What makes you think that I'm here to 'help' you?"**

"**You're here to find the Spirit Detective, aren't you?" replied the so-called Kurama.**

"**Yes…but what business is that of yours?"**

"**Well, it just so happens, the Spirit Detective is my **_**sister,**_**" he said with a glint of mischief in his eyes.**

**Hiei stared at Kurama for a long time in shock. Hiei thought about his own sister and what lengths he would go through to save her before shaking himself out of his reverie. **

**Instead of getting angry and telling the "damn fox to go home and I don't need any help", he put on an emotionless façade and walked up to Kurama.**

**The youko was at least three to four inches shorter than he was, the top of his head coming level with Hiei's eyes. His intelligent eyes were a golden color. His youko fox tail and ears were the snowiest of white with just a hint of shining silver. **

**Hiei took in the kitsune's appearance as he stood before him, and heaving a great sigh, Hiei looks to the Forest.**

"**Normally I wouldn't take anyone along with me. I'm not too crazy about team work, but considering the circumstances, you can come along." He cast an understanding gaze on the youko that left as quickly as it came as he looked back into the Forest.**

**Kurama flashed a mysterious, and almost (if not completely) mischievous, grin. But, then, he cast his look downward with a saddened look. **

"**I only hope that she is alright. She's worth more to me than all the treasures in the world."**

**Hiei glanced back at him before running headlong into the Forest of Lost Demon Souls. Kurama quickly followed pursuit at a speed that surprised Hiei. The kitsune had managed to keep up fairly well. Better than Hiei had even expected; he had been half hoping to lose the fox before he realized that Hiei had even left. **

**The fire demon was in WAY over his head if he thought the kitsune was inferior to him. And, of course, he did. Big mistake.**

**Hiei made it a point not to speak anymore, seeing as he'd already said more than he had intended already. Kurama made few attempts to start a conversation receiving rare "Ch" or "Hn" responses from Hiei. After about three such attempts, Kurama finally understood Hiei's lack of wanting to speak.**

**A few days passed like this as they continued their search through the Forest. Kurama watched Hiei's actions vigorously, much to Hiei's discomfort. **

**Day after day, Hiei had endured this intense evaluation. Each time Hiei caught the kitsune staring, it made him angrier and angrier. It was only a matter of time before he blew his steam all over the fox demon. **

**Seven days after they'd started searching, and Kurama was still eyeing Hiei like he was a particularly juicy piece of meat. **

**It was the last straw, and Hiei became the volcano that was rarely seen.**

"**WHY DO YOU KEEP STARING AT ME?? DON'T YOU KNOW THAT'S rude???" Hiei bellowed, then immediately regretted it. A sharp pain shot through his head.**

**The same pain he always got when he yelled; the very reason he tried as hard as he did not to lose his temper. **

**Kurama looks at him in surprise at the sudden outburst of sound, then gives him a small smile before replying, "You remind me of my sister in some ways."**

**Hiei, temporarily forgetting his anger and his pain, stares at him in shock. **_**His sister? **_**As this idea registered, he remembered his anger as it raged through his blood. **

**Mumbling in an undertone, "I remind him of a girl. Great. A GIRL!" and he stormed off through the bushes. Kurama followed pursuit, but was quickly stopped by running right into Hiei's back and falling over.**

**Kurama, wincing with pain, stood and looked at Hiei, waiting for an explanation as to why he had stopped. **

**As he stood, rubbing the sore spot on his butt, Kurama realized Hiei was looking at something with a look rather like he'd seen a ghost.**

**Finally looking in front of him, Kurama saw what was so shocking to Hiei, and went pale with what he saw.**

**A young woman, with snowy white hair and that hint of shining silver, was attached to the oldest oak in the forest by a glowing jade sword. **

**She was visibly naked, her clothes torn and shredded by the thorny vines now concealing her body. Her head hung limp in her deathly sleep making her hair cover her face, but they knew by her matching ears and tail that she was Kurama's missing sister and Spirit Detective.**

**Shaking himself out of shock, Kurama walks towards the great oak, reaches out a hand-**

"**Wait. Don't touch her" warns Hiei.**

**Kurama stops; confused as to why he can't touch her. Hiei soon quells his confusion by throwing a stick at the base of the tree.**

**At contact, the stick bursts into flame from the constant flow of electricity flowing around the tree and the Spirit Detective.**

**Kurama looks at Hiei in wonder, "How did you know?" **

"**My eyes can see the lightning although normally it would be invisible to the naked eye." Hiei gives him a sidelong glance as he says this matter-of-factly.**

**Kurama sighs heavily and slumps to the ground, feeling utterly defeated. **

"**That lightning would surely kill me if I were to touch her. I'm sure it would do the same to you. What do we do now? Call for back-up?"**

**Kurama looks up at Hiei waiting for the fire demon to respond, but Hiei isn't listening. He keeps hearing this soft voice whispering in his head. Knowing he's not going crazy, Hiei listens to the voice. **

**Kurama, unaware of what's going on inside of Hiei's head, starts shouting, "HEY!! Are you listening to me at all? Hel-"**

**Hiei glares at the kitsune with a "Hn." as his reply before mumbling something under his breath. Kurama, stunned by the sudden response, gapes at Hiei, completely confounded.**

"**What did you say? I couldn't hear you-" Instead of answering, Hiei gravely nods his head to the sleeping Spirit Detective.**

**Keeping his eyes on Hiei, Kurama turns his head towards his sister, letting his eyes leave the sight of Hiei at the last second before seeing the phenomenal sight before him.**

**The woman's head was no longer limp in slumber but had risen from her own shoulder. Her eyes had snapped open and were glowing green; a sharp wind tore at the duo's clothes and the vines covering her naked body.**

**Noticing the weeds were becoming scarce, Kurama whips his head to Hiei and yells, "Turn away and don't look back until I tell you to. If you look, I may just have to kill you."**

**Hiei glares at the fox, but turns nonetheless. Just as he's doing so, the last of the thorny vines are shredded into nothingness, leaving her body completely exposed.**

**Kurama stares in shock as the thick oak, too, is blown into oblivion, and the woman lands on her knees on the ground.**

**Hiei, with his back turned, hears her deep, labored breathing, knowing that the sword thrust through her chest was taking its toll on her. Hearing her voice, Hiei takes a sharp intake of breath.**

"**Kurama, pull it out. Don't worry about me, just pull it out."**

**It was the most soothing, beautiful voice he had ever heard. Ringing with the sound of crystal bells. Kurama's voice cut in, ruining the effect.**

"**I don't want-," he sighs. "I guess it would hurt no matter who pulled it out, wouldn't it?"**

**Kurama's sister gave no reply. Hiei sensed the youko walk up to her, reach for the sword stuck in her chest, grab her by the shoulder for support, and yank the sword out.**

**Her scream that echoed through the Forest brought Hiei to his knees, forcing himself to cover his ears.**

**He'd never heard such a terrible noise, and he hoped he'd never have to hear something so awful come from someone who spoke so wondrously.**

**After her scream died away, Hiei pushed himself back up to his knees, sensing his surroundings to know what was happening.**

**Kurama was looking at his sister with great anguish reflecting in his eyes, the bloody sword hanging limp at his side.**

**The youko girl was on her side clutching her wound in pain, clenching eyes tightly shut. Slowly, she climbs her way to her feet, still clutching the hole in her chest.**

**Standing now, she takes two deep breaths. Lowering her hands, underneath the blood, the wound that had gone through her entire being, was gone.**

**No trace could be found, and with a wave of her hand, the blood staining her skin, too, vanished with no trace that it had ever been there.**

**Hiei suddenly feels her gaze on his back, hard and icy. She took two steps towards him before Kurama stops her.**

"**You might want to put on some clothes."**

**Hiei feels the kitsune's eyes glaring at Hiei's back, as if accusing him of being some kind of pervert.**

**The woman looks surprisingly down at her naked body, apparently unaware that the presence of her clothes were absent.**

**Hiei felt the wind pick up again. Not sharp this time, but it was wild, almost unnatural.**

**The Spirit Detective twisted and turned gracefully into the wind, almost dancing, as the wind wrapped delicately around her limbs and midsection. **

**The wind starts to constrict and darken on her body, solidifying into a silky, slightly transparent cloth. **

**Her clothes were richly fashioned. Starting at her ring finger, a black sash wraps up her arms, hanging limply from her elbow to her wrist while forming sleeves above the elbow, ending just before the shoulder.**

**Her shirt, blood red in color, wraps around to cover just her chest with a slit to show a lot of cleavage, leaving her midriff exposed. Starting two inches below her belly button, a black, Egyptian style wrap skirt wraps tightly around her waist just covering her butt. **

**Tied around her waist is a blood red transparent waist wide sash that trails the ground behind her, and instead of shoes, a black wrap covering her ankles and tops of her feet that leaves her heels and toes exposed.**

**Hiei, having his back still turned to her, is unaware of the transformation that is transpiring, but had realized that something happened when that mysterious wind blew past him. **

**Suddenly, Hiei felt a hand slip into his. Shocked, Hiei follows the hand, up the arm, over the bare shoulder, up the slender neck, to the gorgeous face of the female kitsune.**

**The exact twin of her brother, but much more feminine and softer, more beautiful facial features, Hiei finds it hard to take his eyes from her ice-cold eyes.**

**As her eyes look over him, her eyes soften, but quite subtly. Unexpectedly, she takes his other hand, and pulls him into a hug lightly whispering, "Thank you."**

**Hiei flinches in the embrace, the thought of his eyes' sensitivity going across his mind. As she continues her embrace, he feels, not pain, but a more slightly uncomfortable feeling. It felt as if cold water was being poured into his blood by a small hole in skin; more accurately, the slit that was his third eye.**

**The sensation eased as she released him from her grip, mischief glinting in her golden eyes. As she turns to walk back to her brother, Hiei reaches out to her, and stops.**

**The green pigment of his skin was gone. The many sensitive eyes covering his body, gone. The many weather worn, and new, scars on his chest and arms were gone. Instead, he skin was left smooth and unblemished, pale in color. The same color as the twin youko's.**

"**Why?" Hiei asked, "Why thank me? What have you done to me?"**

**She turned back to him, giving him the slightest of smiles. A smile that Hiei could hardly breathe under.**

"**You saved my life, that's why. So, I have healed you of all wounds and scars, and allowed you to better disguise yourself in the Ningen World. Therefore, thank you."**

**Hiei gaped at the woman, astounded by the power that she had just used to bestow upon him such a gift. All he could do was watch her as she walked up to her brother, and could only stare as they embraced.**

**As they embraced, their differences could only be told by the sharp contrast of their clothing; the white garb of Kurama and the black and red of his twin.**

**Hiei continued to watch as the twins nuzzled each other's faces, occasionally lightly kissing each other's cheeks. Seeing their closeness, Hiei longed to share that with his own sister, but knew he could not.**

**Suddenly stopping her affectionate gestures, she pulls away and looks gravely into Kurama's face. The voice that Hiei hears this time is not the same honey voice he heard before.**

"**Kurama, tell me, and do not lie for you know that I will know if you have, how long has it been?"**

**Taking a gulp, Kurama looks away with obvious guilt.**

"**Three years. I've been searching for two."**

**Her grave inquisitive face is gone, and in it's place a placid, blank look. Kurama winces in response, although, Hiei notes, that she has done nothing and doesn't show signs of moving.**

**Abruptly, she turns and storms off into the Forest and out of site. Kurama makes a move to follow her, and Hiei follows soon after.**

**In a small clearing 20 yards away from her awakening, the female kitsune stands in the center with her fists balled into tight fists, slightly shaking.**

**Hearing their approach, she whirls around, anger flashing in her eyes. Hiei almost flinches, but stops himself. They haven't done any wrong towards her, why should she be angry with them? Slowly, it dawns on Hiei who it is she is angry with. **

**A Spirit Detective, missing for three years, and just has someone been sent to find her. **

_**I'd be angry, too, **_**thought Hiei.**

**Facing the two boys, she asks, "How long did you two walk through the forest?"**

**Kurama and Hiei look at each other before answering.**

"**A little over a week."**

**Rolling her eyes she turns back around.**

"**I want the two of you to take my hands. There's no way I'm walking out of these woods. At least, not when it takes over a week when it could take a little over a minute."**

**Slightly hesitating, Hiei takes her left hand while Kurama takes her right. Once they are in her grip, she tightens her hold and looks to the skies.**

**As she closes her eyes, Hiei feels as if the ground was swallowing them, leaving them in a space of darkness.**

**The last thing Hiei remembers before being sucked in by the earth, is the scent of black orchids and maple.**


	4. Author's Note

This is strictly an author's note. Just because I feel like it. I will be using Japanese language in this ff, so if you have questions about a word, FEEL FREE TO ASK!! I respond to most, if not ALL reviews. If something in the story confuses you FEEL FREE TO ASK!!! I cannot even begin to stress how important it is that you ask questions that you have. I will never, EVER, turn someone's question down, nor will I ignore it. If I don't have an answer, I'll tell you I don't have an answer.

I know that I've probably mixed up some information in my story, such as Kurama having a twin sister. Here is the method to that particular part of my madness. This is ONE HUNDRED YEARS before the Saint Beasts. Also long before Minamino Shuuichi ever existed. The time of Youko Kurama. Not much is know of his past, especially the family aspect. We DO know however that Kurama is a FOX demon. Think about this: do foxes EVER have a litter of ONE?? I thought not. And don't even THINK that because he's a demon means that it's different. I'm pretty sure it's not.

As for Hiei, I can't say that I really know that he started out with the green skin and many eyes, but in my story, he does. Please don't CRITICIZE! If you know, please tell me, for I really am curious, but for the sake of my story, don't criticize. I don't even know his real age, and if it's younger than 100 years, then oops! my bad! But, again, for the sake of my story, please let it slide. It makes it MUCH easier for it to flow the way I want it to.

All I'm really asking here, is that you keep an open mind. There are so many possibilities in the world, even if you're not ready to accept them. (which has almost nothing to do with my story…-)

Well…thank you to those who have been reading! It's GREATLY appreciated, and even more so to those who review as well. (This is where I mention JaganshiKenshin and Grim Reaper 2.0)


	5. Chapter 3: Beauty is Only Skin Deep

A/N: If you didn't notice, I changed the scent Hiei smelled in Chapter 3. Instead of roses, which I think should be unique to Kurama, it is now black orchids. Also, I said I wanted to try to post on Monday's; I'm going to change that to Thursday's. Sorry for any inconvenience.

**Chapter 3: Beauty Is Only Skin Deep**

**Having excellent night vision, Hiei had found it hard to tell between night and day while traveling through the Forest of Lost Demon Souls.**

**Now, looking up at the sky where the ground had spit the trio up, it was clearly night, and the scent of black orchids and maple swept over him once more. Hiei wished it could have been clear, but what he saw, literally frightened him.**

**Above them, a storm was twisting and whirling, lightning flashing constantly. This storm was no force of nature. He believed it to be the force of the angry female kitsune standing at his side.**

**Taking in his surroundings, Hiei noticed that they were just outside of Koenma's castle gates. Then, looking around, he noticed the Spirit Detective and Kurama were already halfway to the gate's doors.**

**Catching up quickly, he wondered how they were going to get inside without being announced. His thoughts were subdued when they reached the massive wooden doors. Raising her arms in an "x" in front of her, the youko thrust her arms back to her sides; the doors flew open at this motion, causing an uproar of guards on the top of the 20 story gate's wall.**

**Making their way down a long, inside corridor, the trio came upon multiple oni. Many stopped what they were doing to gape at the arriving Spirit Detective, one they had noticed was gone from the previous three years. **

**Occasionally, an oni would welcome her back, others would exclaim, while the rest stood and stared.**

**One unfortunately chose to glare as she strode angrily down the hall, was caught, and with a flourish of her right hand, the stack of papers he had been carrying were scattered all over the hallway.**

**Smirking, Hiei continued to follow her as the ogre scrambled to gather the papers. **_**He'll never get them all picked up after he just glared at her. **_**Hiei could sense the jinx the woman had place on the papers, making them seem infinite in numbers.**

**Going down another hallway, they came upon what looked like a secretary's desk in front of doors identical to the gate doors, but on a much smaller scale.**

**The woman sitting at the desk looked up and immediately stood, completely aghast at seeing the Spirit Detective. She stood and started to speak,**

"**Y-you can't go in there! H-he's in a meeting right now," she stammered, and when the female kitsune continued to walk, the woman tried again, "Sh-!"**

**Kurama's sister stopped her from speaking, putting up a hand to silence her. The blonde secretary bowed her head in submission and backed away from the detective.**

**Before going through the doors, she turns to her twin.**

"**My sword please, Kurama."**

**Kurama, who'd absent-mindedly been caring the green-colored scabbard, hesitantly raised the hilt for her to grab hold of. As soon as she touched it though, it seared her hand and wouldn't allow her to touch it.**

**Gazing at the sword, and shaking out her hand, she muttered, "Well. That's troublesome."**

**She turned, about to enter the room, when she realized the two boys were still following her. She put out an arm, telling them not to go any further with her, and, instead of magically opening them, banged open the doors with a force that was much more than needed in her anger.**

**The great doors did not swing shut all the way, leaving just enough space for Hiei and Kurama to see and listen to the commotion going on inside.**

**Two demon men were inside the room when the detective made her entrance. The first, burly one looked up in alarm at first, then softened his looks when he saw the woman storming in and subdued himself to the left corner of Koenma's desk. The second, frailer looking one immediately cowered to the right side.**

**Slamming her fists on Koenma's desk, she earned a raised eyebrow from the burly demon, and she glared at her employer.**

**Hiei and Kurama listened as she yelled, standing a safe distance from the wooden doors. The woman at the desk threw constant nervous glances in the direction where the detective had disappeared.**

"**Ah, Shikonei!" they heard the young ruler's voice ring with no trace of nervousness, "I'm glad to see you back and well."**

"**THREE YEARS, KOENMA!!! THREE YEARS!!! And all you have to say is – no – YOU WAITED THREE YEARS TO SEND SOMEONE???"**

**Hiei gives a sideways glance at Kurama only to see him flinch. Wondering just how bad this could get, Hiei turns back to the crack in the door just in time to see her break his desk in two even halves. It was Hiei's turn to flinch.**

"**How 'bout I stick you to a tree with a sword through YOUR chest for three years?? No, SIX years is even better; just to compensate for the time that I endured." Still fuming, the Spirit Detective, Koenma had called her Shikonei, mended the young ruler's desk and gathered the papers neatly back onto the desk.**

"**I'm glad you've come back now. I need you for a particular tough assignment. These men standing here – "**

"**OH NO!! HUH – UH!! I am not going ANYWHERE!! Not after what I just went through! Do not think I escaped my predicament unscathed," drawing a deep ragged breath, she slumps to the ground. Kurama rushes in to pick her up off the floor, worry flashing through his eyes.**

**Using Kurama's shoulder for support, Shikonei looks at Koenma and continues to speak, softer now, but with the same fury, "I'm taking some years off. Find someone else until I'm ready to come back."**

**Kurama bends to carry Shikonei, but she stops him mumbling something about her wanting to walk. She stops speaking in her undertone and glances at the demon men at the desk. Looking back at Kurama, she starts speaking quickly and loudly in a different language; a beautiful but strange language that grabs their attention, but none of them understand.**

**Kurama replies in kind, a worrying edge to his voice, but his sister soon quiets him with a stone-steadying glare.**

**Hiei looks aghast at the twins as they make their way back through the doors. Once the doors are closed behind them, Shikonei takes her arm off of Kurama's shoulder and looks square into Hiei's face.**

"**Don't worry," she says, "That's nothing. You should see me when I'm really pissed."**

**Hiei gazes at her with something like shock in his features, but the Spirit Detective continues to speak.**

"**You need new clothes and a proper weapon," and handing the old decrepit sword over to the secretary woman and gestures to Kurama, "Give him my sword. I can't carry it anymore now, anyway, since it was used against me."**

**Kurama hands the jade sword over to Hiei, who hesitates to take it.**

"**Take it. You are receiving your pay for my rescue." Seeing Hiei's panic she adds, "My pay is different from Koenma's. You saved my life, so I am in debt to you. Please accept my gifts with no regrets."**

**Hiei glanced from her to the sword and to Kurama's face. Kurama nodded to him, and Hiei took the sword in his grasp and what he felt was shocking. The sword felt **_**alive, **_**as if it was bending to his very will.**

"**Thank you." Hiei earned a hard glare from the fiery female kitsune.**

"**Don't thank me for anything. It is I who is thanking you. I would advise you to go home now and get some rest. I will see you tomorrow."**

**Taking her brother's arm, they start to walk back down the hall.**

"**I don't have a home." Hiei flinches at what he says, unable to stop himself. He bows his head in shame so his bangs enveloping his eyes beneath white hi-lighted black hair. The sounds of footsteps have stopped, and Hiei, thinking that he may not have said it loud enough, sighs in relief. **

**The sound of footsteps coming closer whips Hiei around to face the scowling face of Shikonei. Coming so close to him that there is barely an inch between them, she searches Hiei's face for who knows what. Hiei feels as if those eyes were seeing right through him; extracting from him his most darkest secrets.**

**Hiei thinks he sees the slightest softening in the merciless Spirit Detective's eyes. For the longest time, Hiei had feared any kind of confrontation with her. Before he knew that "he" was actually a girl, and before he had saved her life; experienced her kindness in rewarding him for his efforts.**

**Now, standing face to face with her, feeling her hand close around his wrist and drag him down the hallway, he wondered what the truth was about this mysterious woman. Rumors only go as deep as the skin; no one knows exactly how true they are.**

**Hiei realized that like the rumors, as far as he had seen so far, her beauty was only on the outside: skin deep. Hiei was good at judging character, but he found it hard to know what Shikonei was thinking or what she was going to do or say next. **_**Completely unpredictable, **_**thought Hiei, **_**Great, just what I need.**_

**Coming to his senses, Hiei looks up at the woman and asks,**

"**Where are you taking me, exactly?"**

**With a short glance back, she scowls as if he'd just asked the stupidest question she'd ever heard.**

"**To stay at my place. For a while anyway." Shikonei gives him another thoughtful glance, "I think that once I've trained you properly you will be safe to leave."**

"**T-trained?? What do you mean? I don't need training!"**

**She gives him one last sidelong glance before speaking again.**

"**You can hold a sword, but you don't know how to wield it. Not properly."**

**Hiei looks at her, aghast, and can't believe the harsh criticism coming from her lips. Eventually, he succumbs into submission, knowing there is a ring of truth to her words.**

**Hiei takes one last fleeting look at the back of Shikonei's shining silver hair before the ground opens up to swallow them again. Only this time, it was different. This time the three of them twisted into the ground. Instead of blackness, colors of red, green, black, white, and blue flashed around them.**

**Just as quickly as they had entered the vortex, they exited. Hiei felt himself sprawled out on the ground in a grassy glade. Shikonei and Kurama stood on either side of him.**

**As he struggled to his feet, Hiei noticed two things. A large house stood in front of him with two stories visible from the front. Although it only had two stories, Hiei could tell by the height of the house that the top floor would have an excellent view.**

**The second thing Hiei noticed was the extravagant garden that surrounded the Victorian house. The primary flowers included red roses, black orchids, sunflowers, and orange lilies. There were many others that Hiei could not name. Ivy covered the sides of the house in many varieties.**

_**I guess they don't need to worry about food,**_** thought Hiei eyeing the orchards and vegetable garden.**

"**Impressed?" asked Shikonei, a grin playing around her lips. Hiei gazed at those lips. Blood red, he noticed, and smiling creases were unfamiliar to them. They were unfamiliar to his own lips, too. Maybe he could get along with this so-called ruthless Spirit Detective. There was no way he'd make it easy on her, though.**

**His only reply was a small grunt and, "Too many plants." He turned his nose up in his pompous attitude. Shikonei raises a thin eyebrow then leads the way into the house.**

**Walking inside, Hiei realizes the outside betrayed the size of the inside. The interior looked as if it belonged inside of a castle. Two sets of spiral staircases on the left and right leading to a balcony directly above them.**

**The interior did not look as if it belonged in the house by the view of the exterior. It was far too big and grand to belong in the plain and small of the outside walls.**

"**How many floors are there really?" asked Hiei.**

**A mischievous glint in her eyes, Shikonei replies, "Six. Which floor would you like to stay on?"**

"**The sixth floor. The top one." Was his reply, the higher up, the better the view.**

"**And which view would you like? The gardens or the orchards?" the way she asked implied she already knew the answer, but she was simply asking to tease him.**

**Hiei shifted uneasily, not liking her meandering tone and her steady gaze with a playful glint to it.**

"**Orchards." He replied finally. It would be good to have some tree limbs to jump to from his window if he needed to escape for some reason.**

"**Hm." She gave Hiei thoughtful look before continuing; "I will show you your room later. First, I would like you to bathe and eat. Kurama will show you to the bath."**

**Nodding to her brother, Kurama gives a low bow and motions for Hiei to follow him.**

**Giving him a mischievous smile, Kurama asks, "So, what's your first impression of my sister?"**

_**Why do foxes have to be so damn mischievous?**_** Wonders Hiei,"Annoying."**

**Kurama laughs at this, "You may think so now, but give her some time and you'll see things differently."**

"**Hn."**

**Giving him another small smile, Kurama opens a door and lets Hiei walk into the bathroom.**

**Leaving Hiei to his bath, Kurama walks back to his sister who had gone into the kitchens.**

"**Smells good. What are you making?" Kurama sniffs the air, evaluating the scent.**

"**Your nose is as good as mine. Tell me what you smell." **

"**Hmmm…I smell rosemary, cloves, potatoes, carrots, a array of spices, and…is that beef? Yes, the scent is unmistakable," Kurama gives a thoughtful pause, "I can't discern what the last scent is. It's familiar, and it blends well with the salt and pepper. It's a rather spicy scent."**

**Kurama gives a few curious sniffs to the pot. As he is taking a particularly deep sniff of the stew, Shikonei thrusts a cutting board of freshly chopped onions under his nose.**

"**Maybe that will clear your senses," Shikonei snickers as Kurama snorts and sneezes with little tears forming in the corners of his eyes.**

**Kurama tugs at his sister's hair.**

"**That was cruel. You should treat your dear brother better than that. Especially after-"**

"**I know. If it wasn't for you-"**

**Hiei walks in, cutting her off. Shikonei regards him with a sharp look, and continues speaking in her exotic language from before.**

**Feeling awkward listening to their conversation he couldn't understand, Hiei opens the refrigerator and is surprised to find it empty.**

**The twin's conversation ceases and Shikonei adds the chopped onions into the soup, keeping one eye on Hiei as he searches the kitchen.**

**Finally frustrated by the kitchen intruder, Shikonei turns to him with hands on her hips.**

"**If you don't mind, I'd much rather you not go through my cupboards and cabinets." And in receiving an odd look from him, Shikonei adds, "Yes, I realize they're empty, but your rummaging makes me rather uneasy."**

**Hiei feels himself fill with shock. **_**Our Spirit Detective can be made uneasy?**_

**Hiei feels a smile play around his lips, and he continues to search the kitchen.**

**Kurama watches Shikonei and Hiei uneasily, knowing what could happen. He makes a move to warn Hiei, but is too late.**

**Shikonei walks to Hiei and puts a firm grip on his upper arm.**

"**Just because you wish to spite me," she whispers in Hiei's ear, but still audible to Kurama, "it does not mean I will go easy on you."**

**Before Hiei even has time to think, Shikonei throws him through the door into the dining room.**

**Landing upside down with his back up against the opposite wall, Hiei glares at the kitchen door and mumbles under his breath, "Bitch."**

"**I heard that." Came the calm, cool voice of Shikonei as she brings the steaming pot of stew into the dining room. Kurama soon follows carrying a thick, steaming baguette and butter. **

**Kurama sets down the bread and butter and walks over to Hiei and offers a helping hand. Hiei pushes it away, and with an unsatisfied grunt, picks himself up off the floor.**

**Shikonei watches as Hiei carefully picks the chair farthest from the kitsunes, glaring angrily at the female.**

"**Don't look at me like that. You brought it upon yourself. Now you only have two options. Your first option would be to just let the incident go and from now on think before you act around me. Or, you could simply keep defying my nature and succumb to the consequences."**

**Hiei glared harder at her and began to shove food in his mouth. It was the best thing he had ever tasted, and the heat from it calmed his nerves and he began to consider what had just been said to him.**

**After dinner had been eaten and the table cleared, Shikonei left without a word.**

**Curious, Hiei followed her out, but found that she had disappeared. Shrugging, Hiei made his way up the stairways to get to the top floor. On the fourth floor, he stopped at the sound of music.**

**Once more struck by curiosity, Hiei went down the hall to find the source of it. His keen ears quickly led him to the right room.**

**Hiei cracked open the door and peered inside. What he saw surprised him.**

**Moving elegantly and smoothly to the beat of the music in flashing flurry to the quickness of it, was Shikonei. She was dancing in harmony with the music with impeccable balance and flexibility.**

**Hiei continued to watch, transfixed by how easily she moved, and when the music stopped he found her facing him, eyes closed as if memorizing her movements. Slowly, she opened her eyes to look at him.**

**They stood in silence for a moment and music starts up again. A slower song this time. But instead of moving to dance again, Shikonei walks up Hiei, snapping her fingers to stop the music.**

"**Amused? You should have knocked." She said angrily.**

**Hiei quickly shook his head. He found it difficult to find words.**

"**No, not amused. Admiring. I've never seen anyone move like that before."**

"**I'm glad, then, for starting tomorrow, I will be teaching you to 'move like that'"**

**Hiei stands in shock. He'd never asked to learn how to dance, he simply liked watching her. He starts to protest, but Shikonei doesn't even give him the chance to get out a single word.**

"**I know you didn't ask, but you'd be amazed at what learning to dance can do for your swordsman skills. I will not divulge at the moment, so get some sleep. You and I are going to have a long day tomorrow. Good night." And with a nod, Shikonei exits the room and goes across the hall to her own bedroom.**

**Hiei turns at the sound of movement at the stairs. Kurama is walking towards him, a half worried, half amused smile on his lips. Lips identical to his sisters, but missing that blood red color. **

"**So you've discovered your first lesson." Kurama lightly chuckles, "This ought to be amusing. Don't take it lightly, though. She takes it very seriously. It is her favorite past time."**

**And with that, Kurama enters the very same room as his sister had just gone through only a moment earlier.**

**Sighing in defeat, Hiei makes his way up the rest of the stairs to the top floor. Opening the nearest door, Hiei walks in and without even bothering to undress, flops onto the bed and falls fast asleep.**


	6. Author's Note 2

Okay. I'm SO sorry for taking SO long to post this last chapter. I've just been really busy…haha…but, who isn't?? I feel terrible…I should be pretty dedicated to this story, but somehow homework is taking a priority most of the time…the rest of the time I blame on writer's block. 

For avid readers, I write just for you. The loyal ones who have stuck it out to this point and who will stick it out to the very end. I'm really playing with a few ideas and I'm not sure how I'd like to write them out. I would like to hear opinions on my character, Shikonei. It would really help so I know if I'm portraying her the way I want to.

I'm also open to ideas. If I'm given an idea that I like, and I use it, proper credit will go to whoever gives me the idea. Yes, that means your name will be mentioned either at the beginning or end of the chapter. Because I know how much people like recognition.

Last of all, is my disclaimer. I DO NOT OWN YYH OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS EXCEPT MY OWN (BEING SHIKONEI). Please don't sue. 


	7. Chapter 4: A Change In Scenery

A/N: Okay…I'm changing the number of years from the first chapter. Instead of 100 years before…it is 125 years before. I'm sorry I keep changing things…it's probably the most inconvenient thing for you readers out there…sorry!! So sorry!! But, you have to admit…it's nice that I at least let you know that I've changed something. : )

**Chapter 4: A Change In Scenery**

**Many miles away, a demon roughly the size of a small shed darted his eyes across the screen. On it, he watched his enemy carefully, she'd finally awaken.**

**The demon grinned. Good, she was pissed. That make things more interesting, but who was this young boy that freed her? It takes a powerful counter spell to undo the sleeping spell put upon that female kitsune. **

**Confusion lighted those beady eyes that watched the Spirit Detective fall weakly to Koenma's office floor. The spell and wear of time had not left her unscathed.**

**He continued to stare at the screen even after it had long gone black. She had entered a warded zone. A zone where he could no longer watch her.**

_**Don't worry, little kitsune, I will find you soon enough.**_

**Rising from his perch, the great demon made his way out of tower. It was time for the search. Not only for her, but for some accomplices.**

**Maybe a hostage would be good as well. Someone that she wouldn't hesitate to rescue. That one would need some work; the only one he knew of was her twin brother, but he would be difficult as a hostage. Too smart and too quick witted for the demon to take hostage.**

**He grinned in anticipation. Once he had that damn female kitsune in his grasp, she would wish she'd never been awakened from her slumber.**


	8. Chapter 5: Insides Revealed

**Chapter 5: Insides Revealed**

**Hiei's eyes blink open to see the white of the ceiling. Standing at his door, calling his name to wake up for breakfast, is Kurama.**

**Sitting up, Hiei's muscles feel cramped. He can't remember the last time he'd actually slept like that. Normally, he'd be so alert and on guard, he wouldn't be able to sleep. Not liking the soreness of his muscles, he decides he won't be so careless as to sleep again.**

**Shikonei stands in the kitchen making breakfast, waiting for the arrival of her brother and their guest.**

**She lifts the lid off of the pot of porridge and decides it would go nice with some cinnamon and apples.**

**As she's carefully adding the cinnamon as to not overpower the apples and porridge, Hiei walks in.**

**Shikonei doesn't even bother to lift an eye to his presence, but makes sure that Hiei knows her guard is up to him.**

**She is shocked by what she hears, though.**

**Hiei sighs, "No reason to be on guard with me. I've thought about what you said, and decided I don't want my ass kicked everyday. Especially by a girl – I'd be the laughing stock of all Makai."**

**Shikonei rounds on him, a disdainful look in her eyes, and places her hands delicately on her hips. She watches Hiei's eyes follow her hands to her hips and then flick to her face before she says anything.**

"**Hurry and eat your breakfast. Lessons will start as soon as you've finished." And she spoons large gobs of the porridge into a bowl for him.**

**Shikonei watches Hiei take the bowl with an air of distaste in regard to the porridge, but doesn't say a word.**

**She then sees, with a kind of triumphant satisfaction, Hiei's attitude changes as he eats the porridge. Again, she had outdone herself in her cooking, making even the coldest of hearts warm.**

"**Sorry I'm late. There's still some left to eat, I hope?" Kurama walks through the kitchen doors, his hair still dripping from the shower.**

**Shikonei looks fondly at her twin kitsune.**

"**Sit and eat, Kurama. I'll braid your hair as you finish." A small smile creeps to her lips as she sees the so familiar grin explode onto Kurama's beautiful features.**

"**You really love braiding my hair, don't you?"**

**At this, Hiei looks up from his breakfast to intently watch the twins. A strange feeling takes over his chest as he watches Shikonei run her fingers through Kurama's hair, gently removing any knots.**

_**What is this feeling? Is it longing? For my own family and sister?**_** Hiei asks himself.**

**Shikonei finishes braiding Kurama's hair and ties it with an aqua band. She looks up from his hair to Hiei's eyes.**

"**Seconds? Or are you done?"**

"**Uh, no. I'm done." Hiei feels his face flush and is unsure why, angering him. He pushes his way to the kitchen with his bowl and makes his way to the room he'd seen Shikonei in last night.**

**Shikonei watches him leave with a worried look in her eyes. Not sure why she is worried, she shakes her head clear of the emotion and turns her gaze on Kurama.**

"**What do you suppose got him upset?" they voiced together.**

**Kurama laughs and Shikonei gives an amused "Hmph."**

"**Are you going to come watch his first lesson or do you have previously planned engagements?" Shikonei raises a questioning eyebrow to her brother.**

**Kurama gives a low chuckle, "I have already moved any plans made for today to tomorrow. There's no way I would miss this."**

**Satisfied, Shikonei leads the way to where Hiei is waiting. In a loud voice that makes Hiei jump out of his deep thought, Shikonei says, "Let us begin your first lesson."**

**Hiei starts to stand, but is shot down by Shikonei who tells him to stay seated. She walks over to where he sits and begins stretching. Hiei follows suit.**

**The lesson continues in this manner; Shikonei would perform an action and Hiei would copy. Few words were spoken; only when Hiei had not quite copied Shikonei right and she would stop and explain the movement.**

**Kurama watches intently, waiting for the outbreak out of the tension. He can feel Hiei becoming increasingly frustrated with the lesson.**

**To Shikonei's amazement, Hiei actually sticks through the lesson the entire day. Breaking only once for lunch, the lesson becomes tedious and Hiei is drenching in sweat.**

**It was 6 o'clock when Shikonei finally stops.**

"**That's enough for now. We'll bathe, eat dinner, and call it a night."**

**Kurama walks into the kitchens with Shikonei to help her get dinner started. Hiei walks into the bathroom and starts to undress. His muscles and joints ache and creak with every movement.**

**Hiei fills the tub with cold water and climbs in. The cold in the water eases the aches in his muscles. He sits in the cold for as long as he can before heating it with his ki.**

**Not knowing how long he's been soaking, Hiei begins to smell the scent of cooking food and decides to get out.**

**Upon exiting the bath, Hiei sees the two twins exiting the bath across from his. Together. Still wrapped in their towels and Kurama fussing with Shikonei's hair.**

**Hiei walks to his room as quickly as he can, completely weirded out. Not quite sure what to make of the interaction between the siblings, Hiei quickly dresses and makes his way to the dining room.**

**Shikonei and Kurama take their time getting dressed for dinner, playfully nipping and pinching each other, as kitsunes would do.**

"**Do you think we should say anything to Hiei? He looked rather disturbed." Kurama asks as Shikonei pulls on her black camisole.**

**Shikonei looks thoughtfully at Kurama's long, plaited white hair, admiring its strength and gloss. A playful grin stretches across her mouth.**

"**We won't say anything, but rather, kick it up a notch. I want to see how much affection he can take."**

**Kurama sighs, "You're going to have too much fun with this, I can tell."**

**Finally fully dressed, they make their way to the kitchen and find Hiei smelling the roast in the crock-pot.**

**Shikonei looks sideways at her brother, and tugging at his hair for him to face her, kisses him briefly – full on the lips.**

**Hiei feels his face fill with heat and he makes his way back to the dining room. Shortly after, Shikonei and Kurama bring out dinner and wine.**

**Hiei shifts uncomfortably in his seat, avoiding theirs eyes and their very movements.**

**The game continues on throughout dinner with Hiei completely oblivious, until they bade each other goodnight. It was subtle and calm, no trace of the playful charisma that had been there just a second ago.**

**Hiei felt his anger rise like a burning pyre as he realizes that the two kitsunes had been playing him. Playing him like a damn violin. Hiei storms through the kitchen and as the door swings closed behind him, he hears a soft twinkling laugh that makes him burn even more.**

**Instead of going to his room, Hiei makes his way outside, deciding to vent out his anger in the orchards. He makes his way to the center of the orchards and climbs the tallest peach tree.**

_**They made me uncomfortable on purpose. They don't even know me.**_** Hiei is so angry, he doesn't even realize the smoke that is coming off of the tree where his skin is touching.**

**Suddenly, the tree bursts into flame, and Hiei is still oblivious to the heat and smoke. It isn't until other trees begin to burn that he notices. Panicking, Hiei looks for a way to extinguish it, but finds none, so he tries to consume the fire into himself.**

**He soon finds that the flames are spreading faster than he anticipates and cannot take it all in. Again, his panic begins to rise and all he can do is curl up and cradle his head.**

**Although he feels bad about lighting the orchards, he feels strangely at ease and calm inside the flames. Looking up with glazed eyes, he sees the form of his tranquility.**

**Shikonei is walking towards him, the flames caressing her skin, but not burning her. She moves to the source of the fire, a look of, not anger, no, definitely not anger, but of sympathy. Whether for the orchard or for him, Hiei is not sure.**

**Her look of sympathy makes Hiei's anger spike back up, causing the inferno to blaze with new vigor. Shikonei's very skin begins to glow.**

**In a flash of bright light, the fire is gone, nothing left but the ashes in the path of the fire.**

**Shikonei grabs Hiei's wrists and pulls him to his feet. Anger still flashing in his eyes and there is still a soft glow to Shikonei's skin. **_**She is containing my fire**_**, Hiei realizes.**

_**Could she really be that powerful?**_** Hiei wonders gazing into those golden, sympathizing eyes and he feels something he hasn't felt in a long time.**

**Fear. A cold trickling sensation that runs through his gut and to his heart. Shikonei reaches out to Hiei, but he flinches away.**

**Sincerely frowning in worry, Shikonei holds back, but then holds her hand out to him once more.**

**Hiei becomes apprehensive to what Shikonei may do, but is shocked when she takes hold of him. Shikonei pulls him into a tight embrace and whispers in his ear.**

"**Don't worry. I'm not angry. You're all right. No harm done."**

_**No harm done? I just destroyed a third of the orchard!**_** Hiei thinks through his shock, but feels his own arms rise to return the woman's embrace. He closes his eyes as he starts to relax; her touch is so gentle, but her immense power could be sensed being contracted into her very core.**

_**She's always holding back.**_** Hiei realizes, **_**That must take an enormous amount of effort. I wonder how much it takes each day to seal it away?**_

**When Hiei opens his eyes again, he finds himself among the orchard, looking as if there had never been a fire. Shoving himself from the kitsune's arms, he gapes at her, unable to understand what had happened.**

"**Powers that I share with Kurama are those involving the growth and re-growth of plants. Life and creation of nature is our specialty. Please don't be frightened. I will not hurt you. Nor would I."**

"**I think I'm more in shock than I am afraid." Although Hiei knows this is not entirely true.**

**Hiei turns to walk away, but Shikonei grabs his hand.**

"**I should not have played such a trick on you. It was not thoughtful. I won't ever make you feel like that again. Not to such extremes anyway."**

**Hiei looks into her eyes, so full of concern and shame that he knows she's being serious, and gives a grunt of forgiveness.**

**Knowing that he'd forgiven her, the cold, hard look returns to her eyes as if it had never been there, but she continues to hold Hiei's hand as they return to the house.**

**Kurama is standing at the front door with the same look of shame in his eyes as his sister. The resemblance causes a shiver to run down Hiei's spine.**

**As they approach Kurama, Shikonei drops Hiei's hands and runs to her brother. She starts whispering animatedly in his ear.**

**Kurama nods his head and looking directly at Hiei, he bows.**

"**I am deeply sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. My sister implored that I play the game with her, and I could not say no. It is rare that she will play such games. I simply couldn't resist the chance, and didn't think once of the consequence of what would become of your feelings."**

**Hiei gaped at the fox demon before him, spilling out his thoughts in complete honesty. **_**I would never have been so honest. At least not the whole truth.**_** Thought Hiei as Kurama straightened.**

**Kurama looked searchingly into Hiei's eyes for any sign of forgiveness.**

"**I'm afraid that the sooner I gain your forgiveness, the better. I cannot leave this house free of guilt until I've been granted your word of forgiveness."**

**Kurama continues to look at Hiei with a saddened look. Hiei can't stand being looked at like that any longer.**

"**Alright, I forgive you. But that doesn't mean we're friends. Yet."**

"**Very well. Thank you all the same."**

**Hiei looks away from Kurama and turns to look at Shikonei only to find she's disappeared.**

**Kurama and Hiei make their way into the house; Hiei doesn't even notice that Kurama has gone from his side, too lost in his own actions.**

**Not understanding why, Hiei starts searching the house for the female kitsune, not finding even a trace of her.**

**He looks first in her dancing room, but to no avail. He checks the kitchen, dining room, and other random rooms about the house. The last room he checks is her own, but she is not there either.**

**Stopping to take a deep breath, Hiei thinks about different places she could be. The roof. She could be there. Sure enough, there she was, sitting on the roof with her legs tucked to her chest.**

**She was staring at the sky, and when Hiei looks up to see what she is looking at, he sees the full moon, just above the horizon. It is in harvest, glowing bright orange. It is a wonderful sight.**

**Shikonei looks over at Hiei before looking back at the moon.**

"**When the moon is in harvest like this, my vegetables will be ready to be harvested. My brother and I govern our gardens by the moon. We find that things grow best this way."**

"**Do you always sit on the roof?" Hiei inquires.**

**Shikonei glances back at him, "Most nights. Other nights, I lie among the black orchids. Kurama's favorite is the rose, so he spends most his nights tending to them."**

**Hiei sits next to Shikonei, and breathes in the night air. He can smell her scent, as vivid as her garden itself. Black orchids and maple; a good combination.**

**Hiei shakes his head; what is he thinking?**

**Shikonei senses his uneasiness and turns to him.**

"**It's not just you, although, you seem immune to most of my natural charms. Men are always chasing after me, thinking and saying that they love me, but they're only under the spell of my beauty and scent."**

**Hiei gawks at her in shock. Was that what it is? He can hardly believe his ears.**

"**I don't place the spell on them. It just happens, there's nothing I can do about it."**

**Hiei relaxes, but he wonders why he's so immune. Maybe because in his whole life, he'd never known love, nor really had any need or want for it. He tells her this, and she nods her head.**

"**The only love, the only real love, I've ever known, is that of my brother. Without him, I have no one."**

**Shikonei gazes at her feet, while Hiei gazes at her, wanting to put an arm around her shoulders. He refrains from doing so, thinking it's just another side effect of her unintentional spell.**

**Suddenly, Shikonei rises and announces she's going to bed. Hiei stays back and continues to stare at the moon, contemplating the events that had occurred that day.**

**All in one day, Hiei had come to fear, but yet revere, Shikonei. He figures out that there is still so much he does not know about her; an air of mystery lingers about her aura.**

**What had made her become so cold and so powerful? She still had feelings, Hiei could see that, but the emotion she showed most was none at all. She seemed similar to him in a way.**

_**Just like the male kitsune said**_**, Hiei thinks back to his time with Kurama in the Forest of Lost Demon Souls.**

**Immediately after, he thinks of his first encounter with her and the first time she had embraced him. It had been so much different from today. Today, she had held him almost as a mother would a child. With that last thought, Hiei lies down on the roof, still staring at the stars, and falls asleep.**

**A few weeks pass without incident, except for Hiei becoming more increasingly frustrated with the dance lessons. He wasn't doing anything with it, and Shikonei hadn't even started teaching him anything to do with an actual sword.**

**During one lesson, Shikonei had been teaching him some rather complicated footwork, when he suddenly walked out of the room. Fuming in his frustration, he had been surprised when she did not try to stop him.**

**Today is a series of jumps and lifts. Hiei is glad to actually be using some arm muscles, but somehow it isn't satisfying. Shikonei is fit and light, not much of an effort for him.**

**Kurama is watching them intently, hoping to learn a little himself even though he already knows most of the major dances. He notices Hiei getting frustrated, again, with the lesson, and gives his sister a warning nod.**

**She flicks her eyes from Kurama to Hiei.**

"**What's wrong? Why the attitude?"**

**Hiei shoots her a glare.**

"**Because this is pointless. I'm not really gaining anything!"**

**Shikonei sighs, "You are becoming stronger, more flexible, you are gaining better balance, and you may not realize it, but you are becoming more fit."**

**Hiei realizes that although he respects her, he doesn't fully trust her, and is feeling rather pissed.**

"**Alright. We can stop for today if you are that tired, but remember that tomorrow we will not stop."**

"**Whatever." And Hiei finds himself walking out the door and into the orchard. Being out there makes him think of that day when Shikonei rescued him from burning the entire acre. He frowns and decides that he should cut her some slack, that maybe she was doing him some good.**

**Even so, he can't help but think it is a waste of time. For some reason, Hiei goes back to the studio. Shikonei and Kurama are still there, talking about him. He shakes his head violently and runs out of the room.**

"**Hiei!"**

**At her call, Hiei stops just down the hall.**

"**Don't leave. You can't just walk out. You're not ready to go out alone!"**

**At that comment, Hiei whirls around and glares at her with a rage similar to the one he'd used to burn down her orchards.**

"**I lived alone my whole life up to now and I managed just FINE! What makes you think I can't handle myself now?"**

**Shikonei sighs and closes her eyes with a seemingly deep anguish, and Hiei flashes out of the house.**

**Kurama walks to the doorway of the studio and places a hand on his sister's shoulder.**

"**He'll come back. I know he will. He likes it too much here."**

**Days had gone by, but Hiei had still not come back. Shikonei had tried as hard as she could to hide that she was worried, but Kurama knew his twin sister better.**

**She fills her days with pacing the dance studio and performing household tasks repeatedly every hour. Cleaning the house until it can't possibly get any cleaner. Kurama swears she scrubbed the woodwork so thoroughly that she took the finish right off.**

**Most of the time she spends is in her workshop, hammering away on the metal that is to become her new sword.**

**Kurama, tired of her being such a busybody, stops her on the way to the kitchen.**

"**You can't keep going like this. Isn't there a way for you to keep an eye on him without leaving the house?"**

**The female kitsune glares at her brother.**

"**What are you saying? I don't give a shit what happens to that arrogant, foolish, stuck up – "**

"**You **_**have**_** been watching him, haven't you?" Kurama looks at his sister wryly.**

**Shikonei sticks up her nose in denial and walks into her workshop.**

**Kurama can hear the sound of hammer on metal and sighs. **_**She can be so stubborn sometimes**_**; he shakes his head at the door and decides to visit the garden.**

**Shikonei is crafting her sword and it must be perfect, but it's hard for her to make something perfect when her mind is elsewhere.**

**Sensing Kurama's absence from the house, she stops hammering and closes her eyes.**

**Kurama was right, she had been keeping an eye on him; keeping her senses locked onto his feelings, waiting for any sign of panic or fear.**

**In her mind's eye, she searches for Hiei's spiritual thread. Finding the black energy, she gives a little tug that allows her access to his state of mind; not his thoughts, she wouldn't invade that privacy without his permission, but into his heart where it will tell her if he is afraid or panicking.**

**Not sensing anything but relief and a hint of anger, still aimed at her was Shikonei's guess, she went back to forging her sword all the while keeping the black thread in the corner of her mind's eye.**

**Putting the metal into the water to cool it, Shikonei catches a small throb in the spirit thread. Small enough she could have imagined it, so she decides to keep working and to wait to see if it happens again.**

**A stronger throb in the thread convinces Shikonei that she had not imagined it. She closes her eyes and travels down the thread to look through Hiei's eyes. From his eyes, she sees a rat and takes the advantage.**

**Taking control of the rat, she gets a good look at her surroundings. A dark alley looms around her, but it could be any alley.**

**Moving the rat's body as fast as she can, she runs down towards the exit to get a better look at the location.**

**The large size of the noodle shop at the end of it indicates Hiei's location perfectly. She lets go of the rat and takes control of a bird flying above Hiei to see what's happening.**

**A group of demons have him cornered, surrounding him and taking away any kind of escape. Shikonei makes the bird fly lower to catch some of their conversation. The word "human" becomes audible, but is the only word she is able to make out.**

**Good enough. Hiei is in trouble. Shikonei can guess that these demons think Hiei to be a human. Hiei had yet to even discover that in his human form, his spirit energy was compressed, not as easy to access. Nor had he even learned to change out of that form. That was why she'd told him he was not ready, that he couldn't make it on his own for too long.**

**Making haste, Shikonei runs to the door and slams into Kurama who is coming in from the garden.**

"**Ow, that hurt. What are you in such a rush for?"**

**Shikonei doesn't even bother to answer, and continues to make her way to Hiei.**

**As she's running, she realizes that she doesn't even know why she cares, why she's even bothering to save him. She supposes it's her way of saying "I told you so" but feels that there is more to it than that, but can't quite place her finger on it.**

**Within seconds, Shikonei is at the entrance of Hiei's alley, watching the demons beating Hiei as he lay on the ground. She sees his head raise and their eyes lock for a second and involuntarily; Shikonei hears a voice, small, confused, and afraid.**

_**Help.**_

**A fury swells in Shikonei's chest and with a growl, she rushes the demons.**

**The blows upon Hiei's body cease and he silently crawls to lean against a wall.**

**He watches with shock at the scene before him; Shikonei is fighting the small horde of youkai with such ease and grace that it reminds him of her dancing. Because it is a dance; all her moves resemble those of the dance moves she had been teaching Hiei, only in a martial arts style.**

**His eyes widen as he notices how one by one, no, two by two, the demons fall.**

**After the last has fallen, Shikonei turns to face Hiei, and instead of a smirk, her face reflects concern and some of the fury that had taken hold of her as she had rushed in to save him.**

"**Are you all right? You're not too badly injured, are you?"**

**Hiei gapes at her, completely shocked by her lack of a smart-ass tone. Here he is, sitting right where she said he would be, feeling ashamed and weaker than he had ever felt in his whole life. Weaker even than when he was a baby, and yet here she is, showing her compassion for his idiocy and his temper, and his stupidity.**

**Perhaps that is why she is being compassionate, because he is stupid.**

"**What's the matter? Did they rip out your vocal chords?"**

**Hiei shook his head, "I-I guess I just expected you to say, 'I told you so'."**

"**There's no need to say it. You've already seen what I meant. I guess some things you are meant to figure out by yourself."**

**Behind Shikonei, a figure rises with something gleaming dully in it's hands.**

**Hiei notices, but has to squint to really see what it is. By the time he realizes that the figure is one of those demons, now coming back with a switchblade in tow, it's too late.**

**Shikonei had let down her guard, knowing she had wiped their clocks clean, but one would not go down so easily. She hadn't expected any of them to be so stubborn.**

**She watches Hiei's face go from scrunched, to surprise, then alarm. By the time she turns around, by the time she senses the conscious presence, the switchblade is already stuck in her side.**

**Hiei watches her, in a dream-like state, as she puts her hand to the wound and brings back a hand full of blood.**

**Hiei screams as she falls to the earth.**

"**NOOOOO!"**

Yay!! I finally got this chapter done!! It's considerably longer than other chapters, which makes me pretty happy. I'm hoping to keep writing long chapter like this one…it makes me feel good about it. So, keep enjoying the story!! I'll be back in a week or two!! Ciao!


	9. Chapter 6: Insides Revealed Pt2

A/N: I decided to do this one in parts. I'm not sure if there will be a third part, but look out for it! Disclaimers in Chapter 1.

**Chapter 6: Insides Revealed Part 2**

**Shikonei was in the kitchen cooking their dinner. No. She was dancing in her studio. Not that. She was consuming Hiei's fire in the orchards. It can't be. Shikonei was sitting with Hiei on the roof, looking at the night sky.**

**None of those were true right now, but rather memory. All of them flashing through Hiei's mind.**

**He remembers her cry of pain, her anger, her voice, her laugh. Her hands closing around his wrists then her arms embracing him.**

**Every moment he spent with her learning what she had to teach him. In this moment, Hiei regrets ever getting frustrated with her, regrets running away. Hiei vows that never again would he run away from anything.**

_**Funny what happens to your train of thought when someone close to you dies. **_**Thinks Hiei.**_** Someone close.**_** The words echo in his mind as Hiei begins to realize how much of a true friend he considers Shikonei to be.**

**A low moan exits from Shikonei's limp body and Hiei jumps back in shock.**

**Slowly, Shikonei pulls herself up onto her hands and knees, gasping from loss of blood. Hiei hurries to her side and tries to help her to her feet. She pushes him away as she clutches her side where the switchblade still penetrates her side.**

**Shikonei straightens her body into a standing position and gasps from pain shooting up her side. Still gasping, she grabs the switchblade and, with seemingly great effort, pulls it from her flesh.**

**Behind her, the demon that had stabbed her begins to run away, frightened by the rising of whom it thought to be dead.**

"**Oh, no. You won't get away that easily." And Shikonei turns to fling the switchblade at the retreating demon and strikes him in the back of the neck.**

**Hiei couldn't even think about the newly paralyzed youkai, but rather the gaping wound bleeding profusely in Shikonei's side. He presses his hand against the wound in hoping to stop the bleeding.**

**Feeling his hand on her wound, Shikonei lets out a low, painful growl and leans her back against Hiei's chest. She removes Hiei's hand from her wound and holds it palm up in her own hand.**

"**You're not really helping, but you can."**

**Confused, Hiei asks, "How? I know nothing about –"**

**A sharp pain erupts in Hiei's palm as Shikonei sinks in her fangs.**

"**Ow! You BIT me! That really hurt!" Hiei yanks back his hand to inspect the damage.**

**Fangs still bared, Shikonei turns to him, eyes cast down.**

"**My apologies. When I lose my own blood, I crave another's. Besides, yours has healing properties."**

**Shikonei gestures to her wound, or rather the smooth skin on her side.**

**Hiei gapes at her and shakes his head.**_** No way.**_** He flinches as Shikonei grabs the hand she had just bitten. She flinches as he does.**

"**Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." She heals the bite marks on Hiei's hand, much to his surprise.**

"**You didn't tell me you're a healer."**

"**We learn something new everyday." And she picks her way over the youkai's bodies and exits the alley.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Shikonei had been gone for an hour and Kurama's nervously pacing the foyer.**

_**Oh please let them be okay. But…should I try to find them or stay and wait? What if they come back while I'm out looking? I also don't like waiting and wondering.**_

"**Quit having a nervous breakdown. We're right here."**

**Shikonei and Hiei had burst through the door, both burdened with bags of groceries.**

"**Hiei! Glad to see you back!" Kurama hurries to his twin and relieves her of her grocery bags. "If you'll follow me to the kitchen, Hiei, I'll show you where to put the groceries."**

"**I'll be back in a bit. I'm going to go change my clothes." Shikonei runs up the stairs taking them two at a time.**

**Kurama watches Hiei gleefully as Hiei watches Shikonei disappear up the stairs. Hiei turns around to see a glint of something similar to mischief in Kurama's eyes.**

**Hiei nervously follows Kurama into the kitchen. As they are putting the groceries away, Kurama stops in the middle of his instructions and looks curiously at Hiei through sharp golden eyes.**

**Hiei fidgets under his scrutiny, becoming increasingly uncomfortable.**

**As Hiei opens is mouth to speak, Kurama closes his eyes and sighs.**

"**You know, you – " Kurama shakes his head, "All the time you were gone, did you once think about the consequences of your actions?"**

"**Well, um, I – "**

"**Did you think about Shikonei? How she would be feeling after you suddenly left?"**

**Hiei steps back in shock of Kurama's words, unable to even speak.**

"**She – she wouldn't even sleep. She was worried about you. She hardly ate anything and she shut herself up. Every time I tried to talk to her, she got angry. She couldn't control her actions or emotions because she was too busy keeping an eye out for you."**

**Hiei looks at the ground, feeling more ashamed now than he had earlier. He feels his face burn, but when he opens his mouth to speak, Shikonei walks into the kitchen.**

**Kurama retaliates by throwing him a bag of apples to put in the fruit basket. Hiei nearly doesn't catch it.**

**Shikonei looks from her brother to Hiei's red face. Suspicion crosses her eyes and she presses her lips into a thin line.**

"**Kurama…" she says accusingly.**

"**Alright. You've caught us red handed. I just had to know how it felt for him to be rescued by a woman."**

**Shikonei flashes him an angry snarl.**

"**Now, Shikonei, you know I don't really think that way. But, that doesn't mean that **_**he**_** doesn't."**

**Shikonei storms from the kitchen without a word. Kurama looks at Hiei.**

"**She knows I lied to her." Kurama grimaces, "I'll have to hear about that later."**

**Hiei looks down at the apples he's still holding onto and realizes something that had never occurred to him.**

**Hiei hadn't even thought of the fact that he was, indeed, being rescued and it was by a woman. Somehow, he didn't mind, but knew that it would be the end of him if anyone found out.**

_**But why would she be so angry?**_** Hiei thought to himself, **_**other than the fact that her brother lied, I can't think of any reason except – **_

**Hiei lets the apples drop to the floor and runs to find Shikonei. She is nowhere to be found.**

**Running back to the kitchen, Hiei slams into Kurama in the foyer.**

"**You're in a pretty big rush. She's outside if you're looking for her." Kurama raises an eyebrow, "You were looking for her, **_**weren't**_** you?"**

**Hiei nods.**

"**Good. Oh, and, Hiei? Stay out of the gardens, it's forbidden. Strictly."**

**Hiei shrugs and makes his way outside. He hears the sound of falling water and makes his way towards it.**

**Hiei wonders why he is so drawn to it when he realizes he's never noticed it before. He also finds that he can slightly sense Shikonei's presence in the same direction.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**In her anger, Shikonei loses her sense of where she's going and suddenly finds herself in her favorite place.**

**The waterfall had been her place of solace since before Shikonei can even remember. It has kept her calm in her times of her most deadly rages.**

**Meditating has also been an effective way for her to keep her anger levels in check and, combined with the waterfall, it gives her reason enough to visit often.**

**Stripping down, Shikonei steps into the water and moves into the middle of the small lake formed by the waterfall.**

**The water goes no higher than her upper thighs as she moves towards the beating waterfall.**

_**Beating water,**_** Shikonei lifts her face into the falling water, **_**beating water that beats the anger from my body with it's own anger.**_

**Shikonei begins her meditating standing underneath the fountain of cool liquid.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Hiei finds himself at the edge of a small lake, looking straight at the site of falling water and also the sight of a meditating Shikonei in the nude.**

**Shikonei's eyes flash open at the sound of Hiei coming through the undergrowth.**

**Hiei quickly looks away and turns around to leave.**

"**Don't go. You came to talk to me, so talk."**

**Hiei still does not turn around. Shikonei realizes her nakedness and moves the water around her, just as she had with the wind, to form a sleek black dress that fits to her curves like a glove and shows ample cleavage.**

"**It's safe. You may turn around."**

**Hiei slowly turns around and sits on the rock overhanging the water, closest to Shikonei.**

**Shikonei crosses her arms and taps her fingers on her arms, waiting slightly impatiently, and slightly angrily, for Hiei to speak.**

**Hiei pulls a leg to his chest while tucking the other one underneath him Indian-style.**

"**I don't think the way Kurama has claimed that I do."**

**Shock falls over Shikonei's face.**

"**Excuse me?"**

**Hiei sighs.**

"**I don't think – " Hiei chooses his words carefully, "I don't care that you're a woman."**

**Shikonei gives him a funny look and Hiei sighs again.**

"**I guess what I mean is, you're stronger than anyone I've ever met. As for the rescuing thing, sure, I'd never live it down if someone found out, but then again, what man would? But, the actual thought that you were a woman and that you were rescuing my sorry ass, never crossed my mind until Kurama said what he did."**

"**Tch. Kurama. I hope he knows what's coming to him for lying to me." Shikonei makes her way out of the water and starts to head back to the house. Hiei's watching her back when she suddenly stops and turns to face him.**

"**Thank you for being so honest with me, but, do you mind being honest with me one last time tonight?"**

**Hiei shakes his head, "What would you like to know?"**

**Shikonei gazes deep into his ruby eyes, taking in his facial features, really looking at him for the first time. No anger or resentment, no scorn, no criticism. Just soft and friendly with curiosity.**

"**I would like you to tell me what you and Kurama **_**really**_** talked about. Please?"**

**Hiei gazes right back into her golden eyes.**

"**Actually, it was more of what Kurama talked about. He asked me if, when I'd left, if I had thought about the consequences or how you would feel," a questioning look enters her eyes, "He told me how worried about me you were when I was gone. How you couldn't focus on anything for too long, and…he asked if I thought about you at all."**

**Shikonei searches his eyes, then lowers herself to his level. "And? What did you say?"**

"**Nothing. You walked in before I could reply."**

**Shikonei nods her head, then looks down, making circles in the sand with her index finger.**

"**Thank you for telling me. I really appreciate your honesty."**

**Hiei catches her eye and smirks, "Don't get used to it."**

**Shikonei smirks back, "I'll keep that in mind. Have a peaceful night. Don't come back for about an hour if you wouldn't like to be in the middle of the fight."**

**Hiei watches her rise from her spot and once more walk away towards the house. Hiei takes a deep breath and makes his decision.**

"**I would have told him that I had not thought of consequences or your feelings when I first left."**

**Hiei stares into the water and pauses as Shikonei's footsteps come to a stop.**

"**I would have said that I left selfishly, without a single thought of what I was leaving behind. After two days, though, I started wondering – actually, I'm not sure what I was wondering. I do know that my thoughts reverted to you quite often.**

"**When I saw you fall to the ground after being stabbed, all I could think about was sorrow and regret. Never before have I considered anyone a friend like I consider you one. Never before had I regretted anything as much as I had regretted at that moment for ever leaving.**

"**I made up my mind at that moment that I would never run from anything again and I intend to keep that promise. Shikonei, I ask you as a friend, as a student, may I please resume my lessons where we left off?"**

**Hiei turns to find Shikonei kneeling at his side again and he flinches back to see her so close, he had been focused more on what he was saying and not on her movements.**

**Obviously he still wasn't paying attention because he suddenly finds himself in her arms for the third time since they'd met.**

**Shikonei pulls herself away from Hiei and he sees her eyes swimming before him.**

"**That's the first time I've ever heard something like that from anyone. No one has ever called me their friend. Funny thing is, I've never considered anyone a friend until recently."**

"**Hn. You're the first for me as well. The closest I've ever come to a friend is a business partner. And with business partners, you're only interested in business, not friendship."**

**They both feel slightly awkward at the prospect of a friend so Shikonei turns once more to leave and this time, Hiei lets her go.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Hiei takes Shikonei's advice and stays clear of the house for an hour, taking a leisurely swim in the lake.**

**As Hiei enters the house, he hears a soft, melodic sound coming from the kitchen direction.**

**Kurama, upon hearing Hiei's entrance, races down the stairs to confront him.**

"**I don't know what you said to her, but I don't even remember the last time I heard her sing. She didn't even yell at me, but she…well, **_**talked**_** to me in unhappy tones. Her mood changed rather quickly, though. What **_**did**_** you say to her?"**

"**The truth." Hiei makes his way closer to the kitchen to better hear what Kurama had said was Shikonei singing.**

**What he heard was a high soprano voice clear as crystal. It was her voice joined with the bells of her laughter. It was simply **_**gorgeous**__**Perfect.**_** Never before had Hiei ever heard such a sound as her singing.**

**Hiei walks through the kitchen door to better hear her and her words. He walks in only to find he can't understand the words. They were in the curious language she had spoken with her twin.**

**Listening to her almost makes him wish he could sing half as well as she can.**

**Shikonei turns and her voice falters. She almost drops the salad dish she is carrying, being completely caught off guard. Again, she had not sensed Hiei's coming, being too wrapped up in her pleasure. Big mistake.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**The demon was watching her again. She had dropped her guards and he was watching the interactions between her and the black and white-haired boy.**

**Something was happening between them and the demon liked how their relationship is progressing. This boy isn't like that male kitsune.**

**A crooked grin flashed across his face. He would watch for a while longer. Just to see how things went.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

"**Don't stop just because Hiei walked in." Kurama gives his sister a scornful look that says he would prefer her to keep singing.**

**Shikonei breaks her shocked gaze from Hiei and faces the male kitsune.**

"**I'll do what I please. You're not exactly in a position to tell me what to do, little liar."**

**Kurama pouts, "Now that's not nice. You know I don't like lying. Especially to you, but I thought you'd be angrier to hear what we'd really talked about."  
**

**Hiei lets out a grunt and heads to his room, ignoring the fresh yelling coming from the kitchen doors.**

**He decides to go to the roof where the sounds might not reach him. On the roof, he finds peace in the night air with locusts chirping from the trees.**

**He lies back and closes his eyes, clasping his hands behind his head and relaxes.**

**He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knows is he's jumping half way out of his skin at a soft touch to his elbow.**

**The moon is high in the sky, letting off enough light that Hiei doesn't need to use his night vision as he swivels his head to see who or what had touched him.**

**Shikonei is sitting by his side, a scent of food drifting around her. Smelling the food makes Hiei's stomach growl. Shikonei gives a small smile and lifts a fully loaded tray into his line of vision. Hiei takes it gratefully.**

"**I thought you might be hungry. Sorry for yelling at Kurama and chasing you away." Shikonei averts her eyes, "If you don't want me yelling at you, then I suggest you keep yourself, and your words, in check."**

**Hiei nearly chokes on his food at the threat. Did friends make threats? He doesn't know what a friend is supposed to act like, so he improvises.**

**Hiei glares at her and swallows his food.**

"**What's the deal with the bitchy mood all of a sudden?"**

**Shikonei flicks him a glare of her own.**

"**My mood is none of your damn business. I suggest you don't pry."**

"**Doesn't mean you need to threaten me. Geez."**

"**Are you done?"**

"**No, I've got something else to say-"**

"**I meant with your food."**

**Hiei looks down at his tray. He hadn't touched it since they had started their bout. The food was gone though and his stomach full.**

"**Oh. Yeah."**

**Shikonei takes the tray and in a flick she disappears.**

**Hiei is taken aback. Her speed matched his own, if not exceeded. **_**I guess she's right. We do learn something new everyday.**_

**He jumps from the roof and lands in a tree whose branches lead to his bedroom window.**

**About to jump to the window ledge, he hesitates, then decides he'd rather stay in the tree and further enjoy the night air.**

**At dawn, Hiei feels Shikonei's presence at his bedroom door, hears her knock, then, after a while, enter.**

**Perching at the top of the tree, Hiei hears Shikonei calling his name from the bedroom window.**

**Hiei drops himself directly to the branch outside his window. Shikonei doesn't even flinch. He raises an eyebrow to her as if saying, **_**You called?**_

**She raises her eyebrow right back and says, "Breakfast."**

**After they ate, Shikonei stops Hiei from going to the studio.**

"**There's something I'd like to show you outside."**

**Shikonei leads him to the right side of the garden where the black orchids and red roses take dominance. She whistles softly across the garden.**

**After a few seconds, Hiei could see a black fox bounding over the flowers towards them. Its last jump was into Shikonei's arms and it started licking her face.**

"**This is Kyou. He's a friend Kurama and I rescued from the river. His mate is in her den. She's about to have pups."**

**A proud smile spreads across her face as she tickles underneath the black fox's chin.**

**Kyou lifts his head, distracted by movement in the garden. He lets out a little bark and a white head pokes out from the black orchids.**

**Shikonei gasps, "Kana! Why aren't you in your den?"**

**The little white face retreats back into cover, as if in shame or guilt, then comes back and removes herself completely from the flowers.**

**The small white fox's stomach is bulging in pregnancy. Shikonei kneels down and places a hand underneath the fox's belly and seems satisfied by what she feels.**

"**She'll have four kits. It's rare, so there's always a risk that one will be still-born. So far, she's had good luck. They all seem to be in the best of health." Shikonei pauses to put her hand back underneath it's belly, "In good size, too. No runts, which is good."**

**Hiei gapes at her, "You can tell **_**all**_** that just by placing your hand under her stomach?!"**

**She nods and lightly strokes Kana's head as Kyou jumps from her arms.**

**Kyou turns, facing Shikonei, and crouches as if to pounce. He barks excitedly at the fox onna.**

**Shikonei gives a small sad smile before scooping up the young black fox and giving it a nuzzle. She kisses him lightly on top of his head and lets him lead his mate back to their den.**

**Hiei glances between Shikonei and Kyou.**

"**What just happened?"**

**Shikonei lifts her eye to the refined figure looming above her.**

"**He wanted me to play with him, but I feel that would be inappropriate to do in your company."**

"**Ch." Hiei rolls his eyes at the thought of the Spirit Detective playing with a fox. Even just the thought of her **_**being**_** playful didn't sit right with him.**

_**But aren't foxes as animals generally playful by nature?**_** Hiei wonders. **_**Guess that just goes to show the difference between an animal and a demon.**_

**Hiei is brought out of his thoughts by the sudden movement of Shikonei standing and walking back to the house.**

"**That's what you wanted to show me?"**

**Shikonei waits until Hiei is at her side before walking on.**

"**It was more like me wanting to show them to you. I wanted them to know you are here and not a threat. If Kana is stressed by an outside threat, she will become unhealthy, and in turn, so will her kits. If it's Kyou, he will eat them. With her this close to giving birth, I thought it was a good idea. I was hoping you could at least enjoy the miracle with me. Kurama doesn't know, yet."**

"**Why not? Didn't he help to rescue them?**

**Shikonei stops at the door and looks Hiei square in the face.**

"**No. He helped rescue Kyou. I rescued Kana, and besides, Kurama would baby her and I don't want that. She needs to be a mother, not a baby herself."**

**Hiei nods before opening the door for her.**

"**I will accompany you during that time. If it's really what you want."**

**Shikonei gives him a side long glance. "What I want – " she sighs, "is for you to come if you want to come. Not just because I asked you to."**

**And with that, Shikonei goes up the stairs and to her room to change her clothes.**

**Hiei follows suit, but goes into the studio to begin his morning warm-ups and stretches. A half hour later, Shikonei enters the studio with a lunch tray for Hiei. As he eats, Shikonei stretches and warms up for herself.**

**Hiei marvels once again at her flexibility and grace. Merely just by doing simple movements shows off every curve of her body.**

**Hiei flushes and concentrates on his breakfast. He finds it difficult to concentrate on what he's being taught, and as a result, a very agitated Shikonei ends his lesson.**

"**What's wrong with you today, Hiei? I can sense something troubling you. Let me know so maybe I can help?" the spaghetti strap of her tank top falls to rest below her shoulder, allowing cleavage to be seen.**

**Hiei walks directly at her, looking at her face the entire way, places her strap between his finger and thumb, and places it back on her shoulder.**

"**The way you dress is too revealing and it bothers me for you to be so revealing."**

**Shock crosses Shikonei's face before she erupts into laughter.**

"**That's all?" she giggles, "I wouldn't have guessed that you'd be so unfamiliar with the female body. Or even uncomfortable with it, no less."**

**Hiei continues to stare into her eyes, confused.**

"**What do you mean?" Innocence taking over his features to fuse with the curiosity.**

"**Hiei, I won't lie to you. You are very good looking. I'm sure you could get a girlfriend without saying a word, let alone lure them to bed."**

**Hiei flushes and says, seriously, "I do not court and mate just any girl. I haven't done so, ever. I must know her before I should court her, and court her before I should mate with her."**

**Appreciation enters Shikonei's eyes with his words.**

"**Okay. I think I know something that will allow you to be more comfortable with me. I'll change my clothes as well, so you don't feel you have to constantly avert your eyes from me."**

**Hiei nods and Shikonei leaves and comes back in a sleeveless t-shirt and tight sweats instead of her spaghetti tank top and leggings.**

"**Better?" She throws up her arms and does a slow turn for Hiei to inspect her.**

**He nods and asks what she'd like to share with him that would change his comfort with her, although he asks skeptically.**

"**The tango. It's an intimate and sexy dance. It allows us to touch, but not have. We will be closer in the tango than we would in any other dance, but for it to work, we must have chemistry. I will bring in someone tomorrow to help me demonstrate the dance for you, but today we are done."**

**Shikonei leaves in a flourish and Hiei senses her ki leave the house.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**She did not return until the afternoon of the next day, bringing along with her a young handsome man in her wake.**

**Hiei had been waiting patiently all morning, stretching, warming up, and going over several dances Shikonei had stressed upon him over the past month.**

**He gets bored and starts to perform different flip and handstand combinations to pass the time. As he finishes a back flip to land in a one-handed handstand, Shikonei bursts into the studio.**

**Hiei looks up from his handstand and puts his feet back on the ground. He looks at the young blonde man critically; evaluating muscle tone and grace in his movements.**

"**Hiei. This is Yujiro. He's here to help me to demonstrate, and to teach you, the tango." Shikonei lifts an eyebrow to Hiei's scrutinizing looks towards Yujiro, "Questions?" she asks.**

**Hiei's gaze flicks to Shikonei's face momentarily before he shades his head.**

"**Good. Yujiro, position!"**

**Hiei takes a seat by the door and watches as Yujiro takes Shikonei into his arms and the music starts to play.**

**He is shocked by the intimacy displayed between the dancing couple and can hardly believe that Shikonei would even let someone touch her mid-section or caress her calves as if he owned her.**

**For some reason, again unknown to him, seeing Yujiro touch Shikonei so thoroughly, makes Hiei sizzle angrily. At the last note of the music, Yujiro raises Shikonei into a lift and Hiei leaves the room.**

**Shikonei doesn't chase him, thinking that he is only embarrassed by the dance's grand display of intimacy.**

_**It's best I just give him space; **_**Shikonei walks outside to the waterfall, **_**especially after how I caused him to burn down half the peach orchard.**_

**She stands on the over hanging rock where she had spoken to Hiei not that long ago.**

**A song burns to escape her throat. Shikonei tries to keep it in, but as her knees hit the rock, the first note is forced from her mouth.**

**Sharp and crystal clear, it reverberates through the trees. Shikonei stands and lets the rest of the song out, singing with all her heart.**

**Back at the house, in the tree outside his bedroom window, Hiei hears the melody caught by the wind. He decides to follow the song, determined to see if it is Shikonei.**

**He follows it to the waterfall and watches Shikonei as she gestures to the words of her song.**

**Hiei walks up to Shikonei's side, she pauses to look at him curiously, then her voice rings with the final note.**

"**What brought that out?" asks Hiei.**

"**I'm not sure. It just – came out."**

**She suddenly dives into the water, sending water droplets all over Hiei.**

**Hiei looks at Shikonei with something like scorn on his face.**

**Shikonei cocks her head to the side in curiosity, "What's that look for?"**

"**You must be some kind of whore to let any man touch like you let Yujiro."**

**In a flash, Shikonei has Hiei on his back, wind knocked forcefully from his lungs. He tries to sit up, but Shikonei is on top of him, snarling, soaking him with the weight of the water that had traveled with her.**

"**How DARE you call me such a dirty name! I have known Yujiro since I was 12 years old! He's not just any man!"**

**Hiei struggles to gain back his breath.**

"**Would you get – "**

**Shikonei slams him back into the ground, forcing him to silence as the air is blown from him again.**

"**NO! I will not get off! I will not get off until you realize what the tango is and that to touch in such a way is fine for that dance. However, I wouldn't dance the tango with just ANY man! Yujiro – is – gay!"**

**Shocked, Hiei looks into her anguished face and realizes the mistake he has just made.**

"**Fine. I shouldn't have said that you were a whore, but I refuse to learn that dance."**

**Shikonei squints at him, "Do you really feel remorse?"**

**Hiei looks into her eyes. "Yes."**

**Shikonei relaxes her grip but doesn't move. Still looking in her eyes, Hiei watches her dip her head as sadness enters her features.**

"**I thought – " she says almost inaudibly, "I thought we could be friends. That you were different from other guys, but I was wrong. So wrong."**

"**No, you're not wrong." Hiei sits up, Shikonei still on his lap, and embraces her for the first time.**

"**I am different. I – I guess I just couldn't stand seeing him touch you like that. I don't know. I do know, however, we can be friends."**

**Hiei buries his face in Shikonei's hair, briefly smelling her scent of black orchids and maple before she pulls away from his hug.**

**She looks into Hiei's eyes, her emerald eyes in shock.**

"**You mean to tell me you were **_**jealous**_**?"**

**Hiei opens and closes his mouth, but no words come out. Shikonei starts to bubble with laughter and she rolls onto her back on the ground next to Hiei.**

"**To think – " she giggles, "that you, of all men, would be jealous." She continues to giggle uncontrollably.**

**Hiei lifts an eyebrow, thinking Shikonei's behavior very unlike her.**

"**I wouldn't say I was jealous. I just don't like seeing it. I guess I don't like the idea of a guy taking any kind of advantage over you."**

**Shikonei stops laughing and looks up at Hiei from her spot in the grass. She raises herself up onto one elbow.**

"**Not jealousy, then." Hiei is surprised at how quickly she sobers up and keeps a straight face so easily.**

"**Not jealousy, but rather protective. You know, that almost makes sense."**

**Hiei looks at her curiously, "What?"**

"**Well, I could see you being protective of me easier than you being jealous of Yujiro."**

"**Is he really gay?"**

**She laughs, "Yes, he is. Thanks for worrying about me, but I think I can watch out for myself. If not, then Kurama is here."**

**Hiei starts to speak, but Shikonei puts a finger to his lips and stops him. She smiles warmly.**

"**I think I know what I'm talking about, although it's sweet that you would want to protect me." She gives him a light kiss on the cheek.**

**She stands and offers Hiei a hand up. He flushes and accepts her hand, standing up, he looks down into her eyes, seeing no trace of the fury he had just seen, her grief was gone as well.**

**Instead of letting go when he stands, Hiei grasps Shikonei's hand a little tighter and walks with her that way back to the house. Reaching the door, she drops his hand and opens the door. Just inside the door, Shikonei blocks Hiei's way into the house.**

"**By the way. You'll learn the dance whether you want to or not."**

**Hiei allows a smile to creep across his features.**

"**Of course…sensei."**

**Shikonei is taken off guard and when Kurama enters the foyer to make an announcement, all she can do is blink at him.**

**Kurama clears his throat.**

"**I **_**said**_** I am leaving in two days for some important business."**

**Shikonei jumps and whirls around, acting somewhat frightened.**

_**Odd,**_** thinks Hiei, **_**why would she be so frightened?**_

"**You're leaving? What? When? Will you – "**

"**Yes. That's tonight. Don't worry so much," Kurama pauses with a smile, "I am always thinking about you, my dear sister."**

**Shikonei looks at the floor, "I know. Arigato."**

**Hiei blinks at Shikonei, wondering if she will avert to her native tongue with Kurama since he has no idea what they are talking about.**

**They don't; instead, Kurama steps up and pulls his sister into a soft embrace. Lightly kissing her forehead, Kurama steps back and give a kind of sad smile.**

**Hiei raises an eyebrow, confused by this exchange of gestures. He grunts with grim withdrawal and makes his way to his room.**

**Once there, he closes the door behind him and grabs a book that he'd been reading for the past week in his free time.**

**He sits in the armchair across from the window and tucks his legs to his chest before burying himself into the chapters.**

**He wasn't sure how long he'd been reading, but the scent of food had ascended to his room, and a little knock came on his door.**

**Shikonei walks in with his word with a tray for his dinner.**

"**You never came down so I assumed you must have been busy. What are you doing?"**

"**Hn." Hiei trades the book for the tray and begins to eat. Shikonei opens the book and sits on the edge of his bed. Her eyes scan the pages as Hiei eats quietly.**

**By the time he is done, she had read half the book.**

"**It's a wonderful story so far. I would like to finish it someday. I let you finish it first, though, since you were reading it first."**

**She takes the tray and goes back downstairs, humming the tune from earlier,**

**Hiei grins at her back, then heads for the window to the roof. He sits back, with a comfortably full belly, and watches the full moon rise from the horizon. Silver light fills the garden as the moon rises higher and higher.**

**Completely relaxed, Hiei wonders if Shikonei will be with the black orchids tonight when he sees her walking from the house towards the garden.**

**Thinking to ask to join her, Hiei jumps from the roof. He calls out her name, but she doesn't answer. He calls her name a little louder and this time she turns around with the strongest look of fear Hiei had ever seen in her eyes.**

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

A/N: I'm SO sorry it took me so long to get this posted!! But, obviously, it's much longer than the rest of the chapters. I've decided that there will be a part three to this since this chapter was so long. -; I'm going to try not to take so long on the next chapter. Again, sorry! R&R please!!


	10. Chapter 7: Insides Revealed Pt3

A/N: Okay, so this is Part 3 and hopefully the last part. I don't really want to put any more parts to this chapter. It might be too much. So, yeah, here it goes.

**Chapter 7: Insides Revealed Part 3**

**As if being pulled by an invisible force, Shikonei walks on, looking at Hiei for as long as she can. She reaches the edge of the garden and as if fighting that same invisible force, she tries not to go into the garden.**

**Confused, Hiei runs to her, but is too late and she goes into the garden.**

"**SHIKONEI!" Hiei yells at the top his lunges, still running. He approaches the edge of the garden, not slowing down, when a hand reaches out and grabs Hiei's arm, stopping him.**

"**Don't enter the garden!" yells Kurama's voice. Hiei spins around to see Kurama's face grave as he looks after his sister.**

"**Why? Why can't I go into the garden?"**

"**It's cursed. Enter without being invited and you will die instantly."**

"**But…why a cursed garden?"**

**Kurama blinks at him, "If you were to eat a cursed vegetable, you would throw up from the taste, but cursed flowers smell sweeter than they would had they not been cursed."**

**Bewildered, Hiei switches back to the situation at hand.**

"**What's wrong with her? Why won't she answer me? What's going on?"**

**Kurama bows his head, "It's a curse. It's a curse she's had ever since she was six years old."**

"**Six? How old is she? What kind of curse?"**

**Kurama says nothing. Shikonei starts to sing. It's a sad melody and Hiei listens to what she's singing.**

_**I linger in the doorway**_

_**Of alarm clock screaming**_

_**Monsters calling my name**_

_**Let me stay **_

_**Where the wind will whisper to me**_

**Hiei turns to Kurama again.**

_**Where the raindrops**_

_**As they're falling**_

_**Tell a story**_

"**What kind of curse?" Hiei grabs Kurama's shirt collar. Fury rises in Hiei out of frustration of helplessness.**

_**In my field of paper flowers**_

_**And candy clouds of lullaby**_

_**I lie inside myself for hours**_

_**And watch my purple sky**_

_**Fly over me**_

**The sky darkens until the stars are completely concealed. The moon turns to a deep red and Shikonei continues to sing.**

_**Don't say I'm out of touch**_

_**With this rampant chaos, you're reality**_

_**I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge**_

"**KURAMA! ANSWER ME!" Hiei yells over Shikonei's voice.**

_**The nightmare**_

_**I built my own world**_

_**To escape**_

"**There's nothing we can do but to let the curse run it's course."**

_**In my field of paper flowers**_

_**And candy clouds of lullaby**_

_**I lie inside myself for hours**_

_**And watch my purple sky**_

_**Fly over me**_

**Shikonei stops singing. She looks back at Hiei, fear and worry taking over her. She yells.**

"**NO! NOT TONIGHT! LET HIM BE SPARED THE KNOWLEDGE!"**

**Hiei flinches, **_**Is she talking about me?**_

_**Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming**_

_**Cannot cease for the fear of a silent night**_

**She begins to sing again and her arms rise to the sky. Again, the same invisible force, the curse, moves her. This time, about eight feet into the air.**

_**Oh, how I long for the deep sleep dreaming**_

_**The goddess of imaginary light.**_

**Arms stretched out, palms up to soak up the reddened moonlight, Shikonei screams. She screams as deep gashes appear on her flesh. Her clothing is ripped from her body. **

**Hiei is forced to his knees by her scream, clapping his hands tightly over his ears to try and block out the horrendous sound he had wished to never hear again.**

**Blood streams to the ground and she sings the last verse.**

_**In my field of paper flowers **_

_**And candy clouds of lullaby **_

_**I lie inside myself for hours **_

_**And watch my purple sky**_

_**Fly over me.**_

**The moon returns to its silver glow as Shikonei goes limp. Kurama starts and turns to Hiei.**

"**Go! You're the only one fast enough to catch her!"**

**Confused, Hiei looks at Kurama, "What?"**

**Kurama yells, frustrated, "You are being invited into the garden to catch her! Now GO!"**

**Hiei doesn't waste another second and in a split moment, catches the falling woman.**

**Breathing hard, Hiei looks into his sensei's face and notices that the gashes cover her face as well, distorting her beauty. Blood continues to fall to the ground and soaks Hiei's clothes.**

**She lies in his arms, naked, injured, and barely breathing. Hiei takes her to her twin.**

"**Kurama. Who the hell – no, what has put this kind of curse on her? Does she have such enemies that would do this?" A dark look takes over Hiei's face as Kurama lowers his eyes.**

"**I have no place to tell you, but she does have enemies. Whether or not those enemies are even capable of such a curse, I am not sure, but you should ask her yourself. I cannot tell you her life story."**

"**Will she –" Hiei feels his throat close up, "How long will she suffer like this? Isn't there a way to break this curse?"**

**Kurama nods, "I am sure there is, but I'm not entirely sure. Again, you will have to ask her. She'll need a day and a night to be back on her feet."**

**Hiei looks back down at Shikonei.**

"**We should clean her wounds quickly. She'll need blood, too."**

**Kurama is taken aback, "I'm surprised you know that."**

**Hiei reviews the story of how Shikonei had unexpectedly bit into his palm for his blood.**

"**I'll give her as much as I can," Hiei says determinedly, "She said my blood has healing properties."**

**Kurama nods and they bring her into the house. By now, her bleeding has stopped, but her skin is so soaked in blood, Hiei can barely look at her. Blood drips from her red-stained silver hair across the foyer.**

**At the stairs to the bath, Kurama moves to help Hiei take her up the stairs, but Hiei shrugs him off and moves carefully upward.**

"**I'll take care of her. You've done this for a long time. Take a night off."**

**Kurama smiles up at Hiei and lets him go. He trusts Hiei with his sister, although, he is unsure why.**

**Once in the bathroom, Hiei lays Shikonei in the tub and starts the water to get it warmed up.**

**Hiei strips down, but leaves on his underwear, before plugging the tub to let it fill. He climbs in while gently moving Shikonei to give him room.**

**He takes a soft sponge and gently squeezes warm water over her wounds. He turns her around slightly to wash off her face.**

**She begins to stir as his hand brushes her cheek. Her eyes flutter open.**

"**Hiei?" She moans slightly.**

"**Don't talk. Save your energy." Hiei growls softly.**

"**Hiei," she continues, "I'm sorry."**

**Hiei looks at her, shocked, as she closes her eyes again.**

**A soft knock sounds on the door. Kurama enters.**

"**I brought you a change of clothes and something for her to wear."**

**Kurama lifts an eyebrow at the sight of Hiei inside the tub with his sister.**

"**What? It's not like I'm completely naked. Won't clothes irritate the gashes?"**

"**She made herself clothes for this occasion. The cloth won't irritate and won't stain."**

**Hiei nods and drains the tub of the pink liquid. He climbs out and puts on the fresh clothing as Kurama dresses Shikonei.**

**Hiei lifts her from the tub and takes her down the hall to her room where he gently lays her down on her bed.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**The demon, Tatsuyoshi, was watching her as the full moon came and went again. Now is not a good time. She is too vulnerable.**

_**Where's the fun in that?**_** He thinks to himself. He'd found his target, but it wasn't the right time. Tatsuyoshi would have to watch for a while longer. He wanted a fight. A good fight and it was worth waiting for.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Hiei sits beside Shikonei's bed listening to her soft breathing. He holds a Swiss knife to his wrist and makes a small incision, just big enough to allow the blood to flow in a steady stream into a cup.**

**Shikonei opens her eyes as the scent of Hiei's blood permeates the room. She looks at him, eyes glazed over and her skin pale rather than the healthy golden glow that would usually emanate from her complexion.**

**Hiei feels her gaze on him and turns to face her. He binds the cut and carries the cup to her. He lifts her in a sitting position and puts the cup to her lips.**

**She drinks greedily and the gashes on her body start to heal partly and some of the color returns to her face. Hiei relaxes a bit to see her visibly get better.**

**He leans his head against the headboard, feeling a little weak from his donation of blood, and closes his eyes. **

**Hours later, Hiei wakes up to the smell of soup. His neck feels stiff from sleeping against the headboard.**

**He looks over at Shikonei to see her sitting up reaching for the food brought in by Kurama.**

**Hiei sighs. Shikonei looks up at him, aware now that he is awake. She looks at him questioningly. Hiei places a hand on top of her head protectively, sighs again, and leans his back on the headboard.**

**Shikonei says nothing, but sadly smiles at him. She leans against his chest and falls asleep before she can even eat. **

**Hiei feels her weight against him and is startled. He lifts his head up and stiffens only to relax again. The gashes were barely visible anymore and her skin had nearly lost all of its pallor.**

_**Besides,**_** Hiei lays his head back down for the last time, and puts an arm around Shikonei's shoulder, **_**she's sleeping. Why disturb her?**_

**About four the next morning, Hiei wakes up very hungry. He moves to get up, but Shikonei is still leaning against him and he thinks better of it. He'd rather stay to keep an eye on her anyway.**

**He looks out the window to see the sun at the very edge of the horizon, the moon still faint in the early morning sky. He looks back down at Shikonei.**

**She sighs and stretches her arm out across Hiei's waist. He blushes and stiffens and looks back out the window. Something strikes him as odd, though.**

**It seems **_**right**_** for him to be with her like this, as if they fit to each other's form. He is far from being physically uncomfortable, apart from a small crick in his neck from the headboard.**

**Hiei looks back down at Shikonei again and relaxes a bit. Nothing could be seen of the long cuts that had been in her skin. However, she still slightly smelled of iron. Her skin glowed golden in the rising sun. **_**Perfect beauty.**_

**Hiei continues to watch her sleep. He notices how, even in her sleep, how gracefully her back goes up and down with each breath. Her face looks at such peace that Hiei wonders how that face could be so unemotional and so angry at times.**

**Suddenly, Shikonei's grip tightens slightly on his waist and she stirs. She blinks her eyes open and lifts her head from Hiei's chest to look him in the face. Hiei takes his arm from her shoulder.**

**Instead of saying something, Shikonei climbs over Hiei and out of bed. She stretches and heads for the door. She stops in the doorframe and without turning around, says, "I'm very sorry you had to see me like that. It isn't something I would wish on anyone. I'm lucky to have a brother who cares so much for me that he would take care of me in such a state."**

**Hiei brings his feet down onto the floor and leans his arms on his knees and looks at his feet.**

_**He's not the only one who cares,**_** he realizes,**_** but, you don't know that. You probably never will.**_

**When Hiei looks back up, Shikonei is gone. He heads downstairs and smells food cooking and he heads to the kitchen.**

**Instead of Shikonei, though, it's Kurama who is making breakfast. A medium silver fox is bounding around the kitchen. Not only is this fox silver, Hiei notices, but it has three tails.**

"**Where did he come from?" Hiei inquires.**

**Kurama shakes his head, "She, and I'm not sure."**

**Hiei watches as the little fox runs to Kurama and puts her front paws up on Kurama's leg. She gives a happy yap. Kurama looks at her fondly with a smile.**

"**I'll be back. I need to go to the garden for some vegetables."**

**And with that, Kurama goes out the door. The fox sits in front of Hiei and tilts her head. Hiei looks at her, then kneels to scratch her head. **

**With his hand just above her head, he stops. Something inside him jolts and he looks into the eyes of the silver fox. **_**Golden eyes.**_** Hiei is taken aback and snatches his hand back.**

"**Shikonei?!? Is – is that you?"**

**The fox jumps up onto her feet and yelps. She dashes to the door, yelping. Finally, Kurama pushes through and she maneuvers around his feet to escape. Hiei chases after her, completely oblivious to knocking Kurama off his feet.**

**Hiei chases the silver fox all the way to the waterfall where she climbs into a crevice. The crevice is too small for Hiei to go into, but as he stands fuming at the edge of the water, a bright light flashes from inside the crevice.**

**Hiei watches closely as a barely clothed Shikonei walks out from the crevice.**

**Embarrassed by her lack of clothing, Hiei turns away and starts walking. Shikonei rushes him and grabs him by the wrist.**

"**How did you know?" Anger and confusion flashes through her golden eyes, "How did you know I was the fox?"**

**Hiei blushes as a strap to Shikonei's top falls to rest around her shoulder as it had during one of their rehearsals. His gaze hardens and he non-discreetly replaces her strap as he had done just days ago.**

**Shikonei is surprised by the gesture and suddenly lets go of Hiei's arm.**

"**I don't know how I knew, but…I guess I could just sense your energy. I think I've become very familiar with your ki."**

**Shikonei raises an eyebrow, "Then let me test something."**

**Hiei jumps when he hears her voice without her moving her lips. She seems to be speaking inside his head.**

"_**There must have been a transfer of ki between us at some point."**_** He hears her voice loud and clear.**

"**I normally can only do this with Kurama, since we are twins, but…I wonder…" Shikonei trails off before making her way to the lake. She wades in less than knee deep.**

**She kneels and scoops up water in her cupped hands. She turns to Hiei.**

"**Hiei, come here. I want you to put your hands under mine."**

**He follows her directions and watches as the water glows brightly. First white, then black, followed by green and red. The different colors of their ki become clear in the water. Shikonei closes her eyes and hums.**

"**What I'm sensing, is that my body is more used to your ki than yours is to mine. I think it started when you gave me your blood and also when I contained your fire inside of me. **

**I believe that my power, in a way, permeated into your skin when it flared after you had awakened me and also when I used it to give you that human form you now have.**

"**Dancing together had also made us more aware of each other. Why I never saw this coming is beyond me. I should have realized this would happen."**

**Shikonei sighs and lets the water drop back into the lake.**

"**Let's go. Kurama is waiting to say good-bye. He's leaving today." Shikonei leads the way back inside while Hiei makes it a point to look at the sky rather than at her naked back.**

**As they reach the door, Kurama is already making his way out. He stops abruptly when he sees the two of them; Shikonei half naked and Hiei three feet behind keeping an eye on the sky.**

"**Oh, he…Shikonei, you're half naked for goodness sake! At least cover yourself enough so that Hiei doesn't feel the need to avert his eyes from you. He knows, doesn't he? What can we do? You know, he's going to uncover all your secrets if you're not careful. Even if it is on accident."**

**Shikonei rolls her eyes, "Tch, whatever. He doesn't even know **_**half**_** of my secrets. He won't learn much of the scene that happened the other night. **_**If **_**I even decide to even tell him at all. Anyway, don't you have somewhere you need to be going?"**

**Shikonei looks teasingly at her brother in a ferocious way that threatened him subtly.**

**Kurama laughs, "Yes, you're right. I do need to get going. Stay out of trouble, you two." Kurama kisses his twin on the forehead and gives her a tight squeeze; "Go easy on the poor kid, eh?"**

**Hiei looks at the male kitsune with confusion as Kurama walks to Hiei next.**

"**Try not to give my sis too much trouble, alright?" Kurama winks and goes on his way.**

**Shikonei and Hiei watch him as he disappears behind the horizon. Shikonei sighs.**

"**I'm going to miss him. And I didn't even ask how long he'd be gone."**

**The pair walk into the house and Shikonei heads to the kitchen to eat the meal Kurama had prepared before leaving. Hiei growls and Shikonei responds by pulling the air around her to form light clothing.**

"**Thank you." Hiei grunts.**

**Hiei watches Shikonei eat in silence, looking for any sign of stiffness or pain from her.**

**They finish eating without mishap. Shikonei clears the dishes and leads the way up the stairs.**

**When Hiei stops following her to continue to his room, Shikonei calls out to him.**

"**Where are you going? We have lessons today. Did you forget?"**

**Hiei looks back at her, shocked, "Shouldn't you take things easy today?" Shikonei gives him a questioning look, "I – I mean, considering what happened?"**

**Shikonei sighs, "Again, Hiei, your concern is appreciated. BUT-," Shikonei emphasizes, "I am fine. This has been happening to me for a very long time. I am used to it."**

**Hiei casts down his eyes, "That's terrible."**

**Shikonei nods, "Yet, it is my life and life is not always a glittering fairy tale as we would all like it to be."**

**With that, Shikonei turns and leaves Hiei standing alone, hardly believing his ears.**

**After a moment, he jumps out of his reverie and jogs to the studio. Shikonei is already stretching and Hiei falls into place.**

"**What are we doing today?" Hiei finally asks.**

**Shikonei eyes him curiously, "What do you mean?"**

**Hiei tilts his head, gazing at her, "I guess I mean what are we going to do with all these dancing lessons you're giving me."**

**Shikonei smirks suspiciously, and then laughs at Hiei's stricken face.**

"**Well, the obvious is strengthening your balance and coordination and the ability to think about more than one thing at a time." She walks towards a door in the back corner of the studio.**

**Hiei frowns, wondering why he'd never noticed it before.**

**Shikonei takes the knob and gestures for him to join her. **

**He looks at her skeptically, but goes to her nonetheless.**

**She opens the door and Hiei sees lights of all colors flashing, hundreds of people moving to loud, upbeat music, and hears the loud voice of an announcer.**

**Hiei looks at his sensei suspiciously, "Another portal?"**

**Shikonei grins maliciously. "You know it. Now, get in there!"**

**She shoves her pupil through the door and follows closely behind, shutting the door with a quick snap.**

**Hiei is immediately plunged into a sea of bodies, being pushed through the crowd as the swarm moves to the beat of lively music.**

**Hiei looks back only to find that he is lost and can no long see his sensei. Suddenly, someone grabs his wrist. He looks up into Shikonei's face, relief washing over him.**

**Shikonei smiles and leads him through the crowd, her tight grip never faltering as the dancers threaten to separate them again.**

**They approach a large round table in a corner near a bar. Shikonei sits in one seat, leading Hiei into another.**

**The empty table immediately fills to the brim as soon as Shikonei has taken her seat. Hiei wonders who the many men are that have suddenly appeared at his sensei's feet. **

**Many of them try to woo her and bring her flowers upon flowers; roses, carnations, daisies, and lilies, but none of them the flower of her choice, the black orchid.**

**Hiei smirks at their attempts to get a date with her, not feeling too threatened by the boys who don't even know her favorite flower. **

**However, he becomes irritated as he learns that Shikonei won't refuse any of them a dance. After her third dance, Hiei rises and interrupts her fourth.**

"**My apologies, but do you mind if I borrow my sensei for a moment?" Hiei gives the young demon a menacing smile and he quickly nods and goes running off the dance floor.**

**Shikonei lifts an eyebrow as Hiei takes her in his arms to finish out the dance. He notices her gaze on him.**

"**What? Oh, yeah." Hiei shakes himself out of his reverie. "I was just wondering what it was again that we were doing here." It was Hiei's turn to lift his eyebrow at her.**

**Shikonei laughs, "I want to show you what you could do if you took dancing seriously."**

**Hiei tilts his head to the side, confused. Suddenly, the announcers voice cuts across the music.**

"_**Ladies and gentlemen! It is now time for our weekly dance competition! And may I bring to your attention that tonight we will be graced by the rare presence of our famously beautiful and talented owner of this club – Shikonei!"**_

**Hiei turns to her with his mouth gaping open. Shikonei sets her mouth into a thin line.**

"**This part is always interesting. I need to find a partner." Shikonei starts walking away.**

**Hiei grabs her wrist, confused and angry. "What are you saying? I'll be your partner!"**

**She shakes her head, "You're not ready for something like this. You haven't been taking your training seriously enough and you're not even advanced enough. Although, I will admit you have skill."**

**Hiei drops his hand and looks down shamefully. His sensei was right; he hadn't been giving it his all lately and was slowly losing interest in the whole damned thing.**

**He hadn't realized up till now how close he could be to Shikonei if he only put in the effort into his lessons.**

**He lets her go to the middle of the dance floor where she lifts herself into the air, just above the crowd.**

"**Are you ready to have a dance off, boys? Which one of you is talented and passionate enough to be my partner for the competition?" Her voice rises above the usual noise of the crowd and the loud music with no effort. **

**A ring of men forms below the floating Shikonei and the first contestant stands below her, waiting for her to come down.**

**Instead of landing gently in front of him, she lets herself fall into his waiting arms and the music begins as soon as she lands.**

**Shikonei dances with demon after demon, a frown drawing upon her face slightly with each incompetent dancer, but nonetheless, she is enjoying herself.**

"**Shikonei! I just got here and heard you needed a dance partner for the competition! Good thing I'm here!" Hiei hears a young man laugh.**

**Hiei watches his sensei's face as relief washes over her. Hiei frowns as Shikonei runs to him and allows him to raise her into an intricate lift.**

**She lands and turns to the other demon boys, "Sorry, but I've found my partner."**

**The man grins, flashing his white teeth.**

**Hiei plants himself in the corner and seethes as the competition begins. Again, he finds himself disapproving of the way Shikonei and the young man dance together.**

**He finds himself angry at how intimately this new young demon is dancing, and touching, his sensei. Another feeling bubbles up into Hiei's chest although he is unaware of what it is. A monster clawing at his chest, wanting to attack at the man and drag Shikonei out of the club.**

**The competition comes to a close and the couples stand in front of the stage, waiting for the results.**

**Shikonei pulls herself from the crowd and runs to Hiei, a wide grin covering her face.**

"**So? What did you think? We were good, right?" **

**Hiei looks to the side, "Ch."**

**Shikonei's eyes widen and she laughs as understanding washes over her.**

"**Don't tell me you got jealous again?"**

**The young man that had been her partner comes up behind her, a look of shock on his features.**

"**I've never heard you laugh like that. Who changed you?" The young man's eyes come to rest on Hiei and his eyes widen in further shock.**

"**Don't tell me this man changed you? You're dating someone like **_**him**_**? You finally decide to date again and you pick this limp noodle."**

**Before Hiei's anger even has time to bubble up, the demon is on the ground. Stunned, Hiei looks around for the force that had sent the man to the ground and sees the uncontrollable fury on his sensei's face.**

**He realizes that as soon as the words had left his lips, Shikonei had struck him to the ground. A snarl issues from Shikonei's lips as she bares her fox's fangs.**

"**What business is it of yours what I do with my life? Nor is it any of your business whether or not or who I date," she leans close to the demon with her lip curled back, "Again, not that this is any of your business, but this **_**limp noodle**_** is my pupil. If you want to make a big deal out of it, then you have to face the consequences. Through **_**me**_**."**

**The young demon looks up with a broken nose, blood gushing onto his shirt. Surprise replaces the shock and the anger he had displayed.**

"**Well, okay. You only had to say so, you didn't have to go berserk and hit me." He puts his hand to nose, flinches, and then brings back a handful of blood. He winces at the sight.**

**Hiei's gaze is intent on his sensei's face, watching for her anger to flare. She sighs instead.**

"**Yuki, you know I have a quick temper and even more so, quick, violent reactions without even thinking," she kneels beside the young demon, Yuki, "Here, let me heal that for you. I'll even clean up the blood."**

**Hiei's face heats with an extreme intensity, the monster in his chest clawing harder than ever at his chest. He struggles to calm himself down, but watching Shikonei kneel by Yuki's side in concern doesn't keep the monster from eating away at him.**

**Shikonei senses Hiei's discomfort and stands quickly as soon as Yuki is healed. She looks over at Hiei and goes to his side instantly and grabs his hand. She leans in close to his face, causing him to flinch back.**

**A small smile enters his sensei's lips as she whispers, "Let's go, Hiei, you've had enough for one night." She turns to Yuki and says louder, "If we win, you can have the trophy. It doesn't matter to me."**

**Yuki nods and watches with suspicious eyes as Shikonei and Hiei pick their way back to the portal.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Back at the house, Hiei sits up in his bed, finding time to try to finish reading his book. The waning moon rises into the night sky as the sun disappears.**

**A few hours go by when Hiei hears a light knock at his door. Before he can even say a word, the door opens and Shikonei stands in the frame.**

**She sees him looking at her and she quickly looks away, blushing. Hiei lifts an eyebrow.**

"**Um, you might think this is ridiculous and quite childish, but…" she pauses taking a quick glance at Hiei's confused look, "I can't sleep. I'm so used to having Kurama by my side that I can't sleep, so I was wondering if…well…"**

**Hiei sighs, "I don't mind as long as you go right to sleep and don't bother me."**

**Shikonei's eyes brighten and she jumps into the bed next to Hiei and crawls under the covers. She lies on her side facing Hiei, leaning on her arm with a grin.**

**Hiei glances at his sensei uneasily, aware of her stare. Finally, unable to concentrate on his book anymore, he sighs.**

"**What is it? I thought I asked you not to bother me?"**

**The grin disappears from her face and she turns quickly onto her other side.**

"**Nothing, sorry. Just wondering how you were coming along in the book. It's very wonderful and I can't wait to finish it when you get done."**

**Hiei watches her back as it goes up and down as she breathes. He is suddenly reminded of the time they had spent together after the full moon.**

**He reaches a hand out to her shoulder, but stops as question forms on his tongue.**

"**How long have you been living here with Kurama?"**

"**Ten to fifteen years. We've been practically inseparable." She turns to face Hiei, placing her hands behind her head. She suddenly frowns. Hiei frowns in turn.**

**Shikonei answers his questioning scrutiny with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about how we even got here. I try not to even think about it, it's too…" she stops for a lack of better words.**

"**Painful." Hiei finishes for her, staring out the night-filled window.**

**Shikonei snaps her head towards him in surprise to look at him.**

**He looks back, "I try not to think of my past, either."**

**His sensei nods and continues.**

"**From before the time of my birth, my parents hated me. They didn't want anything to do with me. They would have tried to kill me during my mother's pregnancy, but there was too much of a risk that they would accidentally kill my twin.**

**So I was born. I was born and they hated me, neglected me, even, giving all their attention to their sweet Kurama. Never once did I blame Kurama for how they treated me, no, it wasn't his fault. **

**You see, an oracle gave a prophecy to my parents as we slept in our mother's womb. The oracle told them that their son would be the most powerful that our clan had ever seen, inheriting the power of our great-great grandfather. Their daughter, however, would hold no power or talent at all.**

**Power and talent are the most important things in our clan. It is a shame to our family name not to possess either one. So I was considered their shame and was not granted the loving attention that my brother was.**

**My fate is a more terrible one than you could even imagine. The source of my curse comes from that shame. I couldn't be killed, so I was made to suffer, but I think that is all you need to know about that.**

**I ran away from home when I was six years old. Yes, my curse was placed upon me as soon it was known that I had run. Even after all of that, I came back when I was about 11 or 12 years old, and I tried to prove myself to them. **

**I tried to prove to them that the oracle had been wrong. **_**Way**_** wrong. I inherited the power and my brother had gained his own unique power which branches off from my own inherited power. Kurama realized this at age 3, while our parents continued to turn a blind eye.**

**When I returned to prove myself, Kurama disowned himself from our family after they all, yes **_**all**_** of them, refused to see me for what I really am. He decided to stay by my side from that moment on and we built this house far from anyone else and even farther away from our family's island. We've lived here ever since." **

**Shikonei sighs as she brings her tale to a close and looks into Hiei's face, full of compassion. Hiei looks away then, aware of her awaiting gaze. He looks at his book, grasped tightly in his hands.**

"**You've already seen my past, haven't you? I mean, you saw it in my mind?"**

**Shikonei narrows her eyes at him before answering, "No. I don't invade on people's privacy like that. Especially those who are close to me. But, the way you look at me with understanding and compassion tells me that your fate has been similar to mine."**

**Hiei nods his head, "Yeah, I was born to an ice maiden in Koorime, but being a fire demon on top of being male, well…"**

**Shikonei drops her gaze, "I guess we have more in common than we thought."**

**Hiei says nothing, but continues to stare at his sensei as her eyes slowly begin to flutter shut with fatigue. He turns back to his book with a sigh.**

**A few chapters later, Hiei notices Shikonei stirring in her sleep. He looks at the glowing letters of his clock that read three a.m.**

**Her stirring becomes more constant and Hiei begins to worry. Suddenly, she sits bolt upright, gasping, "HIEI!" She seems to be gasping for breath as she shudders, bringing her knees to her chest.**

**Hiei, completely caught off guard, frowns. "What is it?"**

**Shikonei jumps and whirls around to face him.**

"**I – I had a dream, but I don't know if it was just a dream or if it was a vision. It's hard to tell sometimes."**

**Hiei smirks, but then frowns again at his sensei's frightened look, "I take it that it was about me, then? Since you called out my name?"**

**Shikonei looks at him, appalled, "Did I?" she whispers, "Yes, it was about you, but don't worry about it. If it was a dream, then it was a dream, but…my visions aren't always true. They change as a person's mind changes. Anything could happen."**

**Hiei nods before putting his book on the bedside table. Shikonei lies back down, still shivering.**

"**Are you cold?" Hiei asks. **

**She nods, "I'm a little shaken by what I saw, though, too."**

**Hiei lowers himself onto the bed and draws her to his chest. He allows his ki to warm her, while his arms comfort her. Hiei is surprised when she doesn't pull back, but instead buries her face in his chest. "Thank you." She whispers.**

**Hiei responds by burying his own face in her hair, relishing in her sweet scent of black orchids and maple. He begins to wonder at long it has been since he has been able to enjoy her smell.**

**He watches the sun start to rise, Shikonei had adjusted herself in her sleep so that her head rested in the corner of his shoulder and her arm was across his chest.**

**Hiei sighs contentedly. Shikonei answers his sigh with one of her own. Hiei smiles at her sleeping form that is slowly waking up.**

**Her eyes slowly open and she lifts her face to look into Hiei's eyes.**

"**Did you even sleep?"**

"**No, I don't sleep. The last time I slept was my first night here and I'll never do that again."**

**Shikonei frowns, "Why not? You're safe here."**

**Hiei gazes gently at his sensei, "Perhaps, but I can't afford to get out of that habit. I'd have to learn to stay awake all over again."**

**Shikonei's frown deepens, "I – Never mind." She pushes herself up and out of bed, obviously upset, and makes her way through the door to the kitchen.**

"**Shikonei?" Hiei calls, but she is already gone.**

**In the kitchen, as she begins to cook, a feeling almost like disappointment crawls into her heart and she becomes confused at why.**

**Her breathing begins to quicken and she eventually stops cooking to put her head between her knees.**

**Shikonei finds herself placing her entire focus on breathing, so much that she doesn't hear Hiei's footsteps as he enters the kitchen.**

"**Sensei?" His tone is worried and Shikonei jumps up, having no more trouble breathing.**

**She suddenly feels very perturbed by the use of the respectful term. Her breath falters again as she quickly angers, fighting the urge to strike him.**

"**Sensei?" He asks again, his concern reaching his eyes.**

**Shikonei grips the edge of the counter tightly, "I really wish you wouldn't call me that."**

**Hiei gazes at her, confusion melting into his concern. His eyes are drawn to the stove.**

"**The water's boiling over."**

**Shikonei gasps and releases her grip and hurries to get the cooking under control. Hiei grabs her wrist in her panic and she looks up into his eyes, shocked by the sadness she sees there.**

"**Why don't you take a break this morning? I'll finish this up."**

**She starts to object, but he doesn't listen and pushes her out of the kitchen.**

**Sighing in defeat, Shikonei heads up to shower. Back in the kitchen, Hiei starts making breakfast, something simple since he doesn't know how to cook very much.**

**Breakfast only took five minutes to make, so Hiei found himself walking around the house aimlessly, an epiphany coming to him.**

_**Shikonei-sensei,**_** Hiei thinks to himself,**_** why do I care so much about you?**_

**He begins to think on this further and finds that he had never realized something before.**

**Never before had he ever felt this way about someone. Hiei had never cared for anyone like he cares about Shikonei. His sensei. And yet, he feels there's something more to it than just caring about her, but he can't place his finger on the answer.**

**He recognizes, now, how hurt he had felt seeing his teacher in such a state that she wasn't even breathing. He felt as if it was his fault for her unhappiness and wondered if it was something he said.**

**Hiei became so wrapped up in his thoughts, that as he walks into the bathroom he doesn't even stop to think about why the shower would be running. Instead, he throws open the shower curtain to turn the water off, only to find a very startled Shikonei.**

**Hiei stumbles backwards with a yelp, unable to tear his eyes from his sensei's body. It isn't until he hits the floor that he finally looks away, blushing in embarrassment at his mistake.**

**Then, she starts laughing at him, no, she's laughing with him. Hiei finds himself laughing, despite himself. Her crystal bell-like laughing inviting him to join in, so he did and to his surprise he really enjoyed it. **

**He hadn't realized how much he'd wanted a chance to laugh with her. He laughed with her in way that he had never laughed before, and it felt **_**good.**_

**Shikonei suddenly got deathly quiet, except for a deep growl issuing from her throat. Hiei glances at her face, only to see a very dark and serious impression, before running out for his life.**

**He reaches the top of the stairs and stops to lean on his knees, breathing hard, wondering what had just happened.**

**For some reason, seeing her naked form didn't bother him as much as it used to.**

**Hiei sighs, **_**Maybe I'm just getting used to it.**_

**Something in his gut tells him otherwise, but he shakes it off and decides to go ahead and eat breakfast.**

**He sits down to eat only to be interrupted by Shikonei, fully dressed now, erupting through the door.**

**She glares down at him, mischief reflecting in her angry eyes.**

"**Don't you know the meaning of privacy?" Hiei averts his eyes, "Although, it **_**was**_** funny to see you yelp and fall to the floor." She teases.**

**Hiei's jaw drops, "I did **_**not**_** yelp!"**

**Shikonei laughs lightly, "Yes, you did, like a little pup."**

**Hiei glowers at his sensei, but crumbles quickly with a sigh under Shikonei's scrutinizing, yet teasing, stare.**

"**Alright, I **_**yelped.**_** But, that stays between us." He watches her face carefully.**

**A smile warms her face as she gazes at him, "Alright, but, it's time."**

**Hiei stares at her stupidly, "Time? Time for what?" the sudden change in subject caught him way off guard.**

**Shikonei doesn't waste time with words, but instead grabs him by the wrist and nearly drags him outside.**

**They stop near the edge of the garden and Hiei's eyes widen in understanding. He suddenly remembers the two little kitsunes that Shikonei had introduced to him so long ago. It was time for the birth of the kits, and she was sharing it with him.**

**Shikonei takes his hand and leads him into the cursed garden towards a small den, hidden beneath the undergrowth of flowers and vines.**

**She pulls Hiei down onto his hands and knees and puts her lips to his ear, making him shiver.**

"**I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to shrink us so we can fit into the den."**

**Hiei nods, but they are already small enough to pass for rabbits.**

**They enter the den just as Kana, the white female, starts growling at her black mate, Kyou. The growl turns into a whimper as she lowers herself onto the floor of the den.**

**Shikonei and Hiei watch in fascination at the miracle of the birth. Hiei looks away from the birthing fox and watches his sensei's face as it switches from joy to worry and back again.**

**A feeling in his gut rises to his chest and into his throat. He thinks back at the time a similar feeling had taken a hold of him, but was much more menacing. The monster clawing at his chest. The monster that he now recognizes as jealousy. **

**He had **_**hated**_** seeing other men touching her. He hated it because it was not him. Because he isn't able to do it; he isn't skilled enough to dance like that with her.**

**Because he loves her. The words echo in Hiei's mind.**

_**I love her, and not as my sensei. I love her as a woman, as a lover, but she'll never know. She'll never know because she'll never return the feeling.**_

**Hiei takes her hand in his and leans in to whisper in her ear. Instead, she reacts to his gesture by leaning on his chest and breathing deeply.**

"**It's so wonderful. The miracle of life is. But I can't help worrying every time I see her struggle."**

**Hiei leans in again, this time successfully whispering in her ear, "She'll be fine, you don't need to worry so much. Let nature take its course as it will whether you wish it to or not."**

**Shikonei sighs reluctantly and allows Hiei to hold her closer.**

"**I suppose you're right. I'll wait until they're actually born **_**before**_** I start to really worry."**

**Hiei nods into her hair, inhaling her sweet scent, losing himself in it.**

**Before he can get too comfortable, she steps away from him and takes a few steps towards four newborn kits now suckling at their mother's belly.**

**One kit, however, lies motionless a little bit away from the rest. Shikonei kneels by its side, placing her palms on it's heart.**

"**It wasn't her time," she says and gently strokes the baby fox's head.**

**Hiei frowns at the little body, then bends down and pick it up.**

"**It still isn't her time. C'mon, you can do this, I know it. We'll raise her ourselves." He looks at his sensei mischievously and smiles at her.**

**She looks up at him, wide-eyed in disbelief.**

"**B-but-I-how…?" she stammers.**

"**Don't worry about how I know, I just do. Now, get up and let's go." Hiei shifts the kit to his shoulder and offers her a hand. She takes it and they move out of the cave, progressively returning to normal size.**

**At the edge of the vast garden, Hiei lays the pup down in the grass. Shikonei kneels beside it and glances up into Hiei's eyes before quickly looking back at the motionless kit.**

_**Everything will be fine,**_** she hears Hiei's voice cross over into her mind. **_**I know you can do this,**_** he soothes.**

**Taking a deep breath, she nods and places her hands over the fox's belly.**

**A bright glow issues from under her hands and shines upon the little fox. Sweat trickles down Shikonei's temple.**

**Hiei kneels beside his sensei and places an arm around her shoulder, transferring some of his energy into her.**

**After some time, the light fades and the little kitsune's chest falls up and down as she whines for food.**

**Shikonei scoops her up into her palms and she and Hiei stand wearily.**

"**We need to take her inside and get her some milk."**

**Hiei nods, "I'll run ahead to get it ready."**

**Inside the kitchen, the two of them prepare the milk; Hiei heating it and Shikonei adding the proper nutrients.**

**Finally, the milk is ready and is being fed to the gluttonous pup. Shikonei looks up at Hiei from the suckling fox.**

"**Thank you." She whispers.**

**Hiei looks at her briefly before looking back away. Looking into her golden eyes was too much for him.**

"**Hn. Don't thank me. You had it in you the whole time, you just needed a push."**

**Shikonei nods, seeing something different in Hiei's eyes, although she's not quite sure what.**

**She shakes it out of her head and prepares some extra milk and carries it and the baby fox up to Hiei's room.**

**Hiei stays behind in the kitchen, watching the swinging door where his sensei had just disappeared.**

**He lets out a deep breath, angry with himself. **_**I'm going to have to be more careful around her. Maybe I'll just seclude myself when we're not having lessons and not sleeping…together.**_

**Hiei flinches. He'd almost forgotten about that. It was going to be very difficult getting around **_**that**_** obstacle. Hiei rolls his eyes and heads out of the kitchen to his room, letting the kitchen doors swing behind him.**

**Halfway up the stairs, the doorbell rings and Hiei stops mid-step only to turn back around.**

**Opening the door, a young, red headed woman enters the house.**

"**Thank you, Kur – Oh!" the woman looks up to see, not Kurama, but Hiei, and stands staring at him in shock.**

"**I – I'm sorry, I must have the wrong place," the woman stammers, walking quickly back towards the door.**

"**Come back, Kyramei. You're at the right place. How could you not be?" Hiei turns around to see his sensei roll her eyes.**

"**Oh! Shikonei! Who is this?" She looks more closely at him as recognition starts entering her features.**

"**Wait…isn't this the one that was sent to find you?" Shikonei was now beside the woman Kyramei and nods her head. Her eyes widen, "He's cute!" she whispers into Shikonei's ear.**

**Shikonei rolls her eyes yet again and turns to Hiei, "This is my healing apprentice, Kyramei. I'm teaching her everything I know in the art of healing. I train her in fighting on the side."**

**Hiei looks at the bright girl with some annoyance before asking, "Did she have to learn to dance, too?"**

**Kyramei burst into laughter, "You're teaching him to dance? Oh, I have to see this." She continues to laugh until Shikonei clears her throat and glares at her apprentice.**

"**I'm preparing him to learn martial arts. He needs the balance that is required for sword play and building his stamina."**

**Kyramei straightens herself, "I see," a more serious glint enters her eyes. "I still want to see it."**

**Shikonei nods and opens the front door. Yujiro is standing there, with his fist raised as if to knock, a look of surprise on his face.**

**Shikonei smiles, "Come right in. We were just about to get started."**

**The four of them make their way to the studio.**

**Shikonei stands in the middle of the room and turns to face the other three.**

"**Shall we get started, then? Yujiro, the music." She turns to face Kyramei, "I am just starting to teach him the tango, and don't laugh. He a woman issue." She smirks at him. Hiei looks away.**

**Shikonei continues talking, "Kyramei, there is a seat for you by the door. Hiei, how would you like to do this?"**

**Hiei looks back at his sensei, "Let me watch the two of you two or three times. I should be able to pick it up like that."**

**She nods and takes her place with Yujiro. They dance twice with intricate turns and intimate movements.**

**After the second time, Hiei stands and walks to his sensei. Yujiro backs away to stand against the wall. Hiei takes Shikonei into his arms, holding her exactly as Yujiro had.**

**The music starts for a third time and Hiei gracefully leads Shikonei into the dance, slowly at first. They begin to progressively speed up with the music. The first intimate move was coming in the next stanza and Shikonei began to worry, but found that she didn't need to. She trusts him to do what was necessary. It came.**

**Shikonei's leg comes up around Hiei's waist and he allows his hand to move from her knee and up her calf, stopping just below her butt. Hiei shocks himself as he continues through the dance, relishing the intimate moments, knowing it was the only way he'd ever get to touch her.**

**The dance ends before Hiei knows it, stopping with Shikonei in a sexy dip. They stare into each other's eyes and hear and audible gasp from Kyramei. Hiei jumps and drops Shikonei on the floor, he'd forgotten that they weren't alone.**

**Standing up, Shikonei rubs the left side of her butt, "Other than dropping me, that was amazing. I wish I would have had Yujiro here to teach you the rest of the dances."**

**Hiei looks at the floor. He feels upset, but doesn't know why. **_**What was I expecting? For her to announce that she'd fallen in love with me during the dance? Yeah, right.**_

**Hiei walks towards the door, "I'm going to go check on the kit." Shikonei nods as Kyramei approaches.**

"**Did I say cute? I meant **_**smokin'**_**!" Kyramei says as soon as Hiei is out of earshot.**

**Shikonei ignores her apprentice and thanks Yujiro as he leaves himself.**

"**Oh, c'mon, Shikonei! You can't say that you're not **_**somewhat**_** attracted to him? That wouldn't be right, you two have a lot in common!"**

**Shikonei rounds on Kyramei, anger filling her features. Kyramei stops abruptly, going pale.**

"**Would you just shut up about it? You know very well that I'm not the type of girl to become attracted to a man. Yes, he is handsome, but that doesn't mean I'm attracted to him. Give. It. A. Rest!"**

"**Okay." Kyramei gulps.**

"**Thank you. Now, what was your reason for coming here?"**

"**Oh! Right. Koenma sent me and asked if you were up to a mission yet?" Kyramei shook her head in synch with Shikonei's, "Okay, that's a no."**

"**I'm not finished training him by a long shot. I – no, tell Koenma that I will contact him when I'm ready."**

**Kyramei nods, "Alright, I'll be on my way, then. By the way, you've still got it. Dancing, I mean. You're still amazing."**

**Shikonei glares at her apprentice, "And why wouldn't I be? I'm not old. Not by a long shot."**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Tatsuyoshi grins as he watches the emotions play between the woman and the boy. Things were moving along very nice for him and his plans were going perfect. **

**Now just to put them into action.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

A/N: I'm sorry I took so long in writing this one. It's been, what? Two months?? -.-;

My bad…sorry. I just had a lot of things conflicting, not only in the story, but in getting time to write it…

Please review, and, if anyone has any ideas as to what Hiei's scent should be, then I'm open. I already have the first half of his scent, I just need the second half. I did have his scent completed, but I forgot the other half…grrrr…oh, well. Hope you've enjoyed the story so far!!

Disclaimer: I do not own YYH or the Evanescence lyrics. (Although, I wish I owned both… -.-;)


	11. Author's Note 3

Wow, okay, HELLO EVERYONE!!! I just wanted to say that I know a couple parts in that last chapter were kind of rocky, and maybe don't fit or play well into the story, but I ask for your patience because eventually they will. I'm still learning this whole "composing a story with a meaningful plot" kind of thing, so I also ask that you take the bumps on the road as they come…sadly, I, myself, am not taking those bumps so well…I have some serious self-esteem issues when it comes to my writing…so, pwease be nice???

Ah hahaha…yeah…I just found out what a Mary-Sue is, and…I really hope that Shikonei isn't one of them…cuz…yeah…I just thought of how she is as a part of her nature. Something that has been there her whole life…a lot of her issues come from her past, but we won't get into that until the third of the trilogy…ALSO!!! I might be starting a side fic here pretty soon about Kurama…so, yeah…look out for it!!

Yours truly,

littlekawaiifirefox


	12. Chapter 8: The Strength Within

**Chapter 8: The Strength Within**

**Three months had gone by and Kurama had yet to return. Outside, snow is gently falling to the ground in little dust-like clusters.**

**Shikonei starts spending extra time in her workshop and in the gardens, preparing them for the oncoming snow. Hiei stands, amazed, at the edge of the cursed garden, wondering how so many of the flowers could still be blooming in the cold air.**

**Shikonei works the garden, keeping one eye on the playful little fox pouncing at the edges of her peripheral vision. **

"**Hiei? Would you please come and retrieve Ikino before she gets into too much trouble?" Hiei walks through the flowers and picks up the kit they had decided to name "survivor". Ikinokori or Ikino for short.**

**Hiei glances at his sensei, watching the wind whip her hair across her face.**

"**When do you think Kurama will come back?"**

**Shikonei looks up from her work, "Actually, he sent word that he would be coming home next month."**

**Hiei nods, "What are we supposed to do in the meantime?"**

**Shikonei stands and walks back towards the house.**

"**Continue you're training, of course. And, maybe, if I think you're ready, I'll let you dance in a competition with me." A sly smile comes over her blood red lips, and Hiei can't help but to smirk back.**

**That night, Hiei and Shikonei decide to stay up to watch a movie, but are easily distracted by the bounding Ikino, knocking over various objects. Shikonei laughs and turns off the movie.**

**As she makes her way over to the hyper pup, she suddenly stops. It was that night again, and she'd forgotten. She had been too consumed in her work that she hadn't given it a single thought.**

**Shikonei gasps for breath, clutching at her chest and falls to the floor.**

"**Damn it! Sensei! We forgot didn't we?" Shikonei's eyes roll to the back of her head, reflecting the full moon light. All at once, the monthly wounds appear in a cascade of blood.**

**Hiei lifts Shikonei up slightly off the floor, one arm around her shoulders.**

"**Shikonei!" Hiei yells at her, "Stay with me, sensei."**

**Her eyes flickered at the sound of his voice and her sight lands on his face, though unfocused.**

_**That's a good sign.**_** Hiei thinks to himself. He looks around the living room floor and sighs.**

"**This is going to be some mess to clean up." When he glances back to his sensei's face, her eyes are closed and he hears the soft sound of her breathing slightly unsteadily in her sleep.**

**Hiei lifts her up carefully and carries her to the washroom. Afterwards, he lays her down into bed, freshly clothed, and makes his way out the door to clean up the bloody mess in the living room.**

**He stops abruptly to a raspy whisper from Shikonei calling his name.**

**He goes back to the bed and sits on the edge, leaning slightly over his sensei.**

**Shikonei slowly moves her hands up Hiei's muscular arms, making her way to wrap around the back of his neck.**

**Hiei looks at her softly as he allows her to gently pull him closer to her. His cheek comes to rest lightly against hers.**

"**Sensei." He breathes. Shikonei moves her lips to his neck and sinks her canines into his flesh very vampire-like. Hiei flinches slightly by the sudden contact.**

**Shikonei licks at the blood dripping from the bite marks on Hiei's neck, causing him to stiffen.**

**He likes the feeling of her tongue against his skin, a bit too much. It takes his entire self-control not to turn his head to kiss her, to keep his cheek stiffly against hers.**

**Eventually, Shikonei's arms fall to her sides and she falls asleep, her wounds quickly healing.**

**Hiei lifts himself off of the bed and once again heads back to the living room.**

**As he quickly begins cleaning up the blood, Hiei finds his hands shaking uncontrollably.**

**He drops his cleaning supplies and buries his face in his hands, the desire he feels racking his entire being.**

_**I'm in trouble if I'm going to let my emotions get the better of me like this.**_** Hiei groans into his hands and lowers himself onto the floor, looking up at the ceiling. He gazes at his hands in front of his face and frowns.**

**He decides at that moment that the best thing to do is to lock away his feelings, to conceal them from even himself.**

**At that moment, paws pad across the floor to stop at Hiei's side. A soft whine issues from Ikino's throat.**

**Hiei whips his head around to see the gray pup, paws and mouth stained by the blood.**

**He sighs and scoops up the pup and takes her outside to clean her up.**

**They enter back into the house, Ikino stopping just inside the door to shake the excess water out of her fur, when Hiei hears frantic screaming from Shikonei's bedroom. He runs full speed to her side and tries to calm down her violent thrashings.**

**Shikonei is still hallucinating from the vivid nightmare she had just experienced and tries to fight off Hiei. Her wounds start to reopen from the strain of her flailing.**

**Hiei decides that the only way to restrain her is to actually get into the bed and behind her. He manages to do so and wraps one arm around her chest to keep her from leaping off the bed and grabs her forearms to stop her flailing.**

"**Sensei! It's me, it's okay!" Hiei calls out to her, "Calm down, Shikonei!"**

**At the sound of her name, Shikonei stops trying to lash out at her invisible nightmare and relaxes against Hiei's body, allowing herself to be enveloped into a familiar, yet foreign scent of burnt pine needles and the brisk winter wind. It is comforting and Shikonei finds herself humming a tune she used to sing to Kurama when they were little.**

**Hiei, also comforted by her scent of black orchids and maple, listens to her humming and finds himself relaxing and, finally, falling asleep.**

**Shikonei feels the steady rise and fall of the sleeping body behind her, and, combined with her humming, relaxes entirely and falls into a dream of recent memories.**

**In those dreams, she sees herself and how she met Hiei in the clearing before the giant oak tree. She watched herself as she embraced him on different occasions.**

**As she was thanking him for saving her from her slumber, giving him his gift of his human form.**

**The burning orchards and her hugging him, telling him everything was fine.**

**By the waterfall, she had embraced him for his honesty and openness with her. They had officially become friends that day.**

**Her dream changes so that she sees Hiei as he cares for her every month as her curse takes it toll. Even today, she watches what he had done for her. A strange ache clutches at her heart.**

**The dream changes one last time. This time, she is dancing the tango. The first time that she had danced it with Hiei. She feels what she had felt as they had danced. She hadn't recognized the feeling then, but now that she is having a second look, a dawning comes over her mind.**

**Never in her life had she felt such **_**joy**_** in the dance or even enjoyed the feeling of a male body against hers. No, it wasn't just a male's body; it was Hiei's body. The heat from his body set every part of her skin that he touched on fire. Even now, as she sleeps against his chest, she can feel the natural heat rise off of his skin and into hers.**

**The strange ache crawls to her throat and into her gut. It is unfamiliar to Shikonei and she is unable to name it or control it, but it awakens her and she looks into Hiei's sleeping face.**

**Her gaze traces the contours of his neck to the bite marks she had given him. Although they'd figured out that this was the most efficient method two months before, she hated putting Hiei through the whole thing.**

**It hurt her very soul to feel Hiei's body stiffen in her grasp, as he did every time. She places her fingers gently on the abrasion on his neck.**

**A hand rises to meet hers, holding it gently. Shikonei lifts her eyes to meet Hiei's half-slitted ones.**

**With her senses dulled, she hadn't realized that he had awakened at her touch. Gazing into his ruby eyes, a pounding starts in her chest and elevates to her head, her face begins to feel hot. She'd never really realized just how soft Hiei seemed in the mornings. Her breathing becomes shallow.**

**Hiei notices the change and misinterprets it. "Are you alright? Do you need more - "**

**Shikonei quickly shakes her head before he can finish his sentence.**_** Shit,**_** she says to herself, **_**Get your act together, girl!**_

"**No, I'm fine. I don't know what came over me, but it's past now." Hiei nods.**

**He stiffens, suddenly, as the fingers of the hand he's holding start to stroke his neck around the bite marks. He grimaces and lets go of her hand. Hiei hastily moves off of the bed and towards the door.**

"**Is something wrong?" Shikonei asks, worried by his sudden strange behavior.**

**Hiei sighs, wiping his face with his hand.**

"**I'm going to make breakfast," he finally sighs.**

"**That doesn't answer my question," she replies accusingly.**

**Hiei clenches his hands into tight fists at his sides. "No," he lies, "Nothing's wrong." It was the first lie of many.**

**The next couple of months pass in this fashion as Hiei avoids even the slightest bit of contact with his sensei, conversation included.**

**Kurama finally arrives back home, but enters the house carefully, sensing the social tension.**

**He opens the door inch by inch, fearing the storm that waits inside.**

**Suddenly, a large flying object tackles him from inside, knocking him off his feet in surprise.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Tatsuyoshi watches gleefully as his target realizes the one thing that he had been waiting for.**

**Now, he just needs to wait for her to come to the same conclusion and his plans would be complete.**

**Her stubbornness and resentment towards his newfound attitude would get in the way for a while. Oh, well. He could wait. He wanted the fight of a lifetime.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Kurama looks up in a daze, the air completely knocked out of him, to see what, or who, had bowled him over.**

**"I'm so glad you're home, brother!" Shikonei exclaims, "Hiei's been a real annoyance lately."**

**Kurama sits up with his precious sister in his arms and chuckles.**

"**I missed you, too, my sister."**

**A yapping Ikino comes bounding through the foyer to growl at Kurama closely followed by a quite unemotional Hiei.**

"**Hn. Welcome back, kitsune."**

**Kurama cocks his head to the side, "Thanks, I think," he looks down at the fox pup, "Things have certainly changed since I've been gone. Where did she come from? Another rescue?"**

**Shikonei grimaces and picks up the defensive fox, trying to calm her down.**

"**Um, well…Not exactly – " Shikonei starts.**

**Hiei grunts and interrupts her, "Those foxes you have in your garden mated. This one wouldn't have survived if it hadn't been for Shikonei."**

**Shikonei whirls on her pupil, growling. Her silver fox ears flatten against her skull and her tail swishes angrily behind her.**

**Hiei had come to know this action very well over the past month and puts an arm up in defense and his face contorts into fear. He braces himself for impact.**

"**You – you – you heartless imbecile! Ugh! I HATE you!"**

**Kurama and Hiei watch her in shock as she storms up the stairs.**

**Kurama turns to Hiei in confusion, "What was that all about?"**

**Hiei shrugs his shoulders, "Not sure. Not sure I even care."**

**And with that, Hiei disappears in a blur.**

**Kurama shakes his head in disbelief. Hiei had been working out in his spare time and increasing his speed.**

**Kurama looks to the whimpering Ikino and picks her up. "Let's go find out where Shikonei went, shall we?"**

**In her room, Shikonei is screaming into her pillow in utter frustration.**

**Kurama opens her door before immediately shutting it again. There was, literally, a storm inside their bedroom.**

**Rain soaks the contents of the room while lightning leaves scorch marks on the walls and carpet.**

**Kurama braces himself for the storm with his hand on the doorknob. With a deep breath he suddenly yelps and jumps back from the doorknob, his entire arm is left numb from the shock of the lightning.**

**He shakes his hand, trying to get the feeling back and decides to just run in head on.**

**Opening the door, the first thing Kurama notices is that the storm had got worse in the one measly minute that he had hesitated.**

**The second is Shikonei as she lies in the fetal position with a pillow over her head.**

**Kurama had never known her to be the insecure type, so he assumes she is using the position as one of defense.**

**Underneath her pillow, Shikonei's eyes are wide open, glowing green as she fights with her temper.**

**Kurama fights the high winds to get to his sister.**

**He approaches the bed and calls out her name, but nothing happens.**

**Words are not going to get to her at this point, so Kurama climbs onto the bed and grabs his sister by the wrists and pulls her into his arms.**

**Her eyes immediately stop glowing and she relaxes in her brother's arms. It continues to rain.**

"**What's wrong with you, Shikonei?" Kurama asks genuinely concerned, "I've never seen you behave this way about anything before."**

**Shikonei's ears flatten against her skull and she grasps at the sheet on top of her brother's calves.**

"**Ow, careful, Shikonei." Kurama shifts uncomfortably in his twin's grip.**

**She gasps and she releases her hold and her ears prick back up. The wind dies down.**

"**I'm sorry," Shikonei whispers, "It's just…you haven't been here to see…," she takes a deep breath, "To see him change before your very eyes. To transform from someone so **_**desirable**_** – don't look at me like that – to someone so detrimental. It's heart wrenching."**

**Shikonei sighs heavily and curls up in Kurama's lap. Kurama smiles down at his sister and kisses her lightly on top of her head.**

"**And why do you suppose you feel so strongly about this?" he asks her.**

**Silence fills the room and Kurama notices that the storm is gone.**

"**Shikonei? Shiko-" She is fast asleep, dreaming peacefully now that her brother is home. Kurama's grin broadens.**

**In one swift motion, Kurama removes himself from the bed and places Shikonei underneath the now steaming bed sheets.**

**Soon the entire room would be dry, but Kurama cannot wait for that to happen.**

**He leaves the room quickly, seeking out for Hiei's ki with his own.**

**Kurama finds him quickly. Yoko, the Master of Thieves, always finds, and gets, what he's looking for.**

**Hiei sits in a tree and watches his dear sensei sleep. **_**I'm sorry. I don't like making you so upset this way.**_** Hiei jumps down from the tree in front of the waiting Kurama.**

**Kurama grabs the front of Hiei's shirt and rams him into the tree.**

**Hiei looks at the angry fox demon in shock. He had never thought the kitsune to be very violent. **_**There's a first for everything, I suppose.**_** Hiei's features relax into indifference.**

**A growl issues from Kurama's throat, "How can you treat her like that? After all she's done for you?"**

**Hiei grimaces and stares angrily into Kurama's eyes. Kurama tightens his grip on Hiei's shirt.**

"**You know exactly what you're doing, don't you?" Kurama's eyes widen, "You –"**

"**You don't understand." Hiei whispers.**

**Kurama's eyes narrow and his grip loosens a bit, "What do you mean?"**

**Hiei sighs, "Let go of me, kitsune."**

"**Not until you tell me why the hell you're hurting my sister on purpose."**

**Hiei's eyes snap angrily to Kurama's face.**

"**You think I **_**enjoy**_** hurting her?" Hiei growls, "It kills me to see her that way."**

"**What? What are you saying?" Kurama's hold loosens a great deal in anticipation of what Hiei is about to say.**

**Hiei looks at the ground and feels heat rush to his face, "Between you and me – and I mean **_**just**_** you and me – " Hiei takes a deep breath, "I'm in love with your sister. The problem is, is if I allow myself to act on those feelings, I would become distracted from what I need to do now. I can't afford the distraction, but it seems the more I love her, the more I hurt her. If I don't control my feelings, I will only hurt us both. Besides, she'll never return my feelings anyway."**

**Kurama's arms fall to his side, his entire body in a state of shock.**

**Hiei's head snaps up as Kurama laughs. He snarls at the laughing kitsune, "This is **_**not**_** a joking matter, fox boy."**

**Yoko Kurama controls himself, "I'm not laughing **_**at**_** you. Life is just getting so much more interesting." He barks out in laughter and heads back into the house.**

**Once inside, all humor disappears from Kurama's face. Hiei's confession had been most unsettling. Kurama has a bad feeling of event yet to come.**

**Outside, Hiei still leans against the tree, brooding over his confession, wondering if he should have told the kitsune. He does not appreciate being laughed at.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

_Some years later_

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Shikonei sits in a tall maple tree reviewing the past five years since Hiei had joined the household.**

**At first, everything had been fine. Hiei had been very gentleman-like, upholding a good honor system, yet untamed in character. She had liked this Hiei very much. **

**But after their first year, Hiei had begun to change, ever so slightly. The change between now and then was drastic. So much that it frightened Shikonei and made her very much dislike her student.**

**So, she decided she would take it out on him during his next training course. She had evaluated his dancing performance the night before and had deemed him ready to move on to combat skills. She had yet to tell him, however.**

_**Speak of the devil,**_** Shikonei spots Hiei strolling through the underbrush, apparently looking for something. **_**Little shit.**_** "Hiei! Would you come up here, please?"**

**Hiei's head snaps in the direction of her voice and disappears in a blur. He reappears a foot from his sensei on the same branch.**

**Shikonei scrutinizes the fire apparition harshly with heavy-lidded eyes. "Humph. Sit down, Hiei, make yourself comfortable. You may be here a while."**

**With a small grunt, Hiei sits, one leg hanging down and other tucked against his chest. He is careful not to make eye contact immediately.**

"**Hiei, I would appreciate it if you would look at me when I talk to you." Shikonei raises an eyebrow at Hiei's sudden display of disrespect. Somewhere in the back of her head, she knows that he doesn't mean disrespect, nor does he wish to treat her so. However, she disregards the thought and shoves it away.**

**Shikonei sighs as Hiei makes an effort to place his gaze upon her face. "Hiei, I asked you up here to talk about your next lesson. I believe you are ready to move on."**

**Hiei's eyes widen in disbelief. He had never thought that he would be able to leave behind the dance lessons, and here he was, moving on.**

"**You will continue to practice your dancing, however, to keep your balance and flexibility in check. Those are two things that you don't want to lose."**

_**So much for getting out of dancing.**_** Hiei grimaces slightly, earning a smirk from his beloved sensei.**

"**You didn't think I'd let you off that easy, did you? I have torture you somehow." Her crystal bell laugh floats to his eardrums, giving him a brief sense of euphoria. He loves her laugh, almost more than anything about her, rare as it is. **

**Especially lately, he can tell that she had developed a bitter resentment towards him, but he knows that she has other feelings towards him buried deep within her heart, although he doesn't know what they are. He does know, however, that they are not as harsh as the ones she lets him see now.**

**Hiei mentally shakes his thoughts away and reverts his attention back to Shikonei.**

"**Are we starting today, then?" he asks.**

**Shikonei gazes at him, head slightly tilted, contemplating. "No, I think we'll take today off and visit the club in a few hours."**

**Hiei gawks at his sensei, "You remember what happened last time you took me there," it wasn't a question, he knows she remembers, "I nearly got into a fight and you actually did."**

**The fox onna smirks mischievously at him, "Yes. You were quite cute then." She frowns at this, "I still wonder what happened to that Hiei."**

**Hiei inwardly flinches.**

**Shikonei jumps straight down from the tree branch, twisting her body in mid-air to avoid other branches and twigs on her way down. Hiei quickly follows her down, using a much less complicated method.**

**Once on the ground, Shikonei clasps her hands above her head and stretches as Hiei lands softly by her side. He gives her a sidelong glance.**

"**What are you thinking, sensei?"**

**She returns his glance, "Let's go swimming."**

"**Hn. I'll go, but I'm not getting in the water."**

**Shikonei smirks broadly, "Alright, I'll just get Kurama to come and swim with me." She runs to the waterfall, disappearing before Hiei's eyes.**

_**I'm never going to get used to that speed of hers,**_** Hiei shakes his head as he, too, disappears after her.**

**After convincing her twin to swim with her, the two spend a couple of hours competing to see which one of them could dunk the other the most. **

**Hiei sits on the outcropping of rock that he had once sat on during a very interesting conversation with his sensei nearly five years ago. He smirks at the kitsunes' foolish games.**

**However, Shikonei soon gets bored in the water and decides it's time to go dancing. Kurama doesn't hesitate in joining her this time.**

**Once at the club, which Hiei learns that Shikonei owns, and, had coincidentally named it Blood Moon, Hiei remembers two other reasons he does not want to be there.**

**The first being, he hated large crowds. Being someone who had lived alone up until the last five years, which Yoko and his twin were hardly a crowd, he was not comfortable with being so closely pressed between other bodies. In other words, he feels rather claustrophobic amidst the crowd.**

**Second, is the way his sensei dresses for the occasion. Way too provocative. Not that she doesn't look amazing, but he hates, now more than ever, the looks that she earns. The dirty little stares coming from the dirty little demons, thinking who knows what in their dirty little minds. Hiei does his best not to sneer directly at them.**

**Shikonei goes directly to a corner table near the bar and sits across a particular demon's lap.**

**Hiei inwardly growls as he recognizes the toothy grin as Yuki's. Hiei almost bares his fangs at the man.**

**Kurama notices Hiei's sudden tension and moves closer so that only Hiei is able to hear him.**

"**Calm down. I don't like it either, but she is who she is."**

**Hiei barely nods as he tightly clenches his fists at his sides.**

_**Ahem! Could we please have the manager on stage, please? We've had numerous requests…Ah! Here she is! Good, very, good, now, let's have a round of applause for the beautiful – **_**a couple of wolf whistles and cat-calls come from the crowd – **_**the talented – **_**a few screams and a loud applause – **_**and the owner of the best club known to the Demon and Spirit World alike – **_**at this the crowd goes wild – **_**SHIKONEI!**_

**Hiei gapes at the stage. He hadn't even sensed, let alone seen, her leave his presence.**

**He starts to think that his sensei's abilities are far greater than she had led him to believe in the last five years.**

**Seeing her on stage, he begins to really take in her outfit.**

**She is wearing tight, boot-cut, black leather pants. Her shirt is a deep red, skin-tight tube top that exposes her stomach and the small of her back. To top of the outfit, she is wearing a tall pair of black spiked heels. She wears no jewelry and her black eyeliner makes her golden eyes stand out against her milky complexion.**

**Hiei thinks she looks amazing, but doesn't like the way Yuki and his friends are looking at her. Suspicious, he glances at Kurama and notices the disapproving frown as he looks at his twin on the stage.**

**Hiei lightly elbows the fox in the arm and motions with his head to the on-looking boys.**

**The music starts for Shikonei's song. Kurama narrows his eyes at the demons, trying to determine what is going on inside their minds. He leans over to Hiei's ear.**

"**Don't confront them just yet. Wait until their motives are clear and don't keep your eyes of my sister."**

**Hiei smirks, "Wouldn't dream of it."**

**Shikonei's voice rings throughout the club.**

_**If you want to live, let live.**_

_**If you want to go, let go.**_

_**Not afraid to dream, to sleep, sleep forever.**_

**Shikonei jumps off of the stage to interact with the crowd, swinging her hips in time with the music. **

_**I don't need to touch the sky**_

_**I just want to feel this high**_

**She sprawls across a table on her back and seductively rises up on the word "high" without actually getting off of the table.**

_**And you refuse to lift me.**_

**She jumps off the table feet first.**

_**Guess it wasn't real after all**_

_**Guess it wasn't real all along.**_

_**If I fall-**_**she falls back into her brother's arms before quickly pushing off and back into the crowd-**_**and all is lost.**_

_**It's where I belong**_

**Hiei watches her as she gains the attention of all the men, young and old, and is reminded of the natural spell she had once told him about long ago. He began doubting his feelings for his sensei and quickly became worried.**

_**If you want to live, let live**_

_**If you want to go, let go**_

_**I'm never going to be your sweet, sweet surrender**_

**She places a finger under the chin of a young demon that is nearly passing out in her presence. As she removes her finger from his chin, he literally faints.**

_**Guess it wasn't real after all.**_

_**Guess it wasn't real all along.**_

_**If I fall and all is lost**_

**Hiei winces as thinks of all the time that he had spent avoiding and pushing his sensei away because he **_**thought**_** that he loved her. He knows better now. It had all been the effect of her natural charm. The one that no man could resist.**

_**No light to lead the way**_

_**Remember that all alone is where I belong**_

_**Alone, yeah, right,**_** Hiei thinks to himself, **_**I've been alone my whole life. Why should that change?**_

_**In a dream**_

_**Will you give your love to me?**_

_**If my love was real, and if you returned it, then I would.**_** Hiei doesn't let his eyes leave his sensei as she makes the dance more personal to the crowd.**

_**Beg my broken heart to beat**_

_**Save my life, change my mind**_

_**I've already saved your life, but I could never change your mind. You're too stubborn.**_** Out of the corner of his eye, Hiei sees Kurama's body stiffen at his sister's behavior. Kurama notices Hiei nonchalantly watching him while Hiei's center of attention remains on Shikonei at the same time.**

"**Hard to believe she's never had a boyfriend, isn't it?" Kurama says, smiling sheepishly. This puts Hiei's mind for a spin.**

_**If I fall and all is lost**_

_**No light to lead the way**_

_**Remember that all alone is where I belong.**_

**Hiei's face becomes stony as his thoughts swirl around in his mind and Shikonei's song comes to an end.**

_**Let's hear a round of applause…**_**the announcer's words are lost as Hiei sees Yuki pull his sensei by the waist close to his body.**

"**Shall we be partners for tonight's competition, again?"**

**Hiei's body stiffens. **_**I don't **_**really**_** love her, do I? I'm just as good at dancing, if not better, than Yuki. I'm ready to finally become her partner.**_

"**Sorry, but she already has one," Hiei says as he approaches them.**

**Shikonei's eyes widen as her pupil drags her out onto the dance floor.**

**A small smirk alights Shikonei's face.**

"**Is this your way of saying you're going to be nice to me again?"**

**Still fuming, Hiei snaps, "Hn, no. This is my way of saying that I believe I'm ready to help you win this thing."**

**Shikonei's smirk falters, "So…No chance of you being at least **_**somewhat**_** nice?"**

**Hiei frowns, "No."**

_**Of course not, the jerk…**_**Shikonei thinks to herself as she, too, frowns. **_**What could I have done to make him turn away from me?**_

**She gasps as Hiei pulls her to him in a complicated spin. She hadn't been expecting to start so soon.**

**Shikonei's heart beats wildly as she recognizes the tango. Their steps and movements are sharp and in time to the upbeat music.**

**Shikonei starts to feel good, **_**really**_** good, in Hiei's arms. Something about having him in her own arms feels **_**right**_** to her as their bodies rock against each other's. she is unable to place her finger on the feeling.**

**Hiei ends the dance by lowering Shikonei into a very deep dip, their faces just centimeters apart.**

**Their hot breath brushes their cheeks.**

**Hiei closes his eyes, taking in her sweet scent. He opens his eyes and looks softly into his sensei's golden ones. She returns the look as they steadily move closer. **

**Hiei realizes that he can taste her breath, and, before he can taste her lips, his breath hitches in the back of his throat and her drops her on the floor in shock.**

**Shikonei yells as she hits the floor, "Oww," she says, standing as she rubs the side of her butt where she had landed.**

**Hiei flinches, "Sorry." He flinches again.**

**Flustered, he moves swiftly off the dance floor and sits at the table in the corner.**

_**What the hell was that?**_** Hiei places a hand over his racing heart.**

**Meanwhile, Shikonei struggles to gain her composure on the dance floor as the third and second place dancers are announced.**

_**And, now, ladies and gentlemen, for first place…A new face with a familiar face – Wow, what a pair! A hot and passionate couple – Shikonei and Hiei!**_

**Even being on opposite sides of the floor, their heads snap to the stage at the same time. This is not something Shikonei had been expecting, while Hiei smirks at her as he suddenly appears beside her.**

**She smiles back and walks with him to the stage. She allows Hiei to take the trophy, too proud of him to even move. They grin wildly at each other.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Tatsuyoshi slams his fist into the wall, shattering it.**

"**Damn that Jaganshi and his idiotic conclusions!"**

**The demon shakes in his fury at the young man's stupidity, **_**How could that brat even come to that deduction?**_

**Oh, well, things were beginning to get very interesting.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

"**I can't believe you! After everything was going just fine – don't roll your eyes at me – you just **_**had**_** to go and pull off a stunt like that!" Shikonei was yelling at her pupil as soon as they walked in the house from the pouring rain.**

**Hiei smirks inwardly, afraid of being beaten up by his verbally attacking sensei if he were to actually smirk, proud of his feat.**

**He had actually found a reason to knock the smug grin off of that damn Yuki's face.**

_**FLASHBACK**_

_**Hiei was watching intently as Shikonei went on to dance with different men from the crowd, his eyes watched her every move.**_

_**Yuki had come up behind him and leaned in to whisper in his ear.**_

"_**It's such a shame and waste that a body like hers has never been touched. Why don't you and I try taking advantage of that?" Yuki grinned lecherously at the twirling woman.**_

_**Big mistake.**_

_**Hiei's eyes widened in shock as her realized what the demon was getting at. He turns on the man in anger, lifting his fist to Yuki's face.**_

"_**You disgusting bastard!" Hiei had then proceeded to beat the living hell out of the boy.**_

_**END FLASHBACK**_

**It had taken a lot to pull Hiei from the bleeding Yuki, but Shikonei managed it.**

**She now shakes her head as she realizes that no amount of yelling will do any good. She knows that Hiei doesn't regret what he did. She wonders what Yuki could have said to set him off like that.**

**Shikonei allows Hiei to retreat to his room as she sinks into the living room couch with big sigh.**

**Kurama smiles lightly at his sister and joins her, putting an arm around her shoulders.**

"**That boy became a man because of you, you know," Kurama grins broadly, "He has great respect for you. I would bet on anything that what he did was in your defense."**

**Shikonei shakes her head, "I don't know. I'm going to see if he'll talk to me tonight. I want to know what's going on." She lifts herself off the couch and walks up the stairs.**

**Hiei sits on the edge of his bed, staring out his window at the stars. He isn't surprised as Shikonei bursts into his room without warning.**

**What does surprise him, however, is her silence. He turns around and is suddenly face to face with his sensei's glare. He jumps back, shocked; he hadn't even felt her climb onto the bed behind him.**

**Hiei composes himself before returning Shikonei's glare.**

"**What? Not done yelling at me yet?" **

**Shikonei's glare softens, "No. I'm done. I decided that I'm staying with you tonight. We need to talk."**

**Hiei flinches, "You're – you're staying in here? All night?"**

**Shikonei lifts an eyebrow, "Yes, Hiei, **_**all**_** night. Is that a problem?"**

"**No," Hiei looks back out the window, "Not at all, for who can resist your natural spell?"**

**Shikonei is taken off guard, "My…spell? What brought that up? And, actually, you're the only one who is immune to it. It's not even an intentional spell. It's just there. I can't remove it, no matter how I try." She pulls her knees up against her chest and stares down at the pillows.**

**Hiei glances at her from the corner of his eye, completely shocked. "Am I? Am I really immune to it?" His heart beats wildly.**

**She nods, "Yes, but that doesn't matter. What does is your behavior towards me lately. I feel like you're trying to distance yourself from me. If I didn't know better I would say that you don't care about being my friend anymore."**

**At this, Hiei had to laugh, "Friends? Can you really say we've been very good friends to each other?"**

**Shikonei's frown deepens, "I've tried while you continue to go around as if I were your enemy."**

**Hiei looks away, frantically trying to come to terms with the fact that his love is truly real. He had been so eager to accept the fact that it was her 'spell' that had created the feeling inside of him, but now he just has to accept the reality.**

**Shikonei cups his face in her hands and brings his face towards hers, gazing gently at him from under her lashes.**

"**I want you to talk to me. Tell me what's bothering you. Friends do that, you know." She offers him a small smile.**

**Hiei sighs and climbs back onto the bed and leans against the headboard. Shikonei curls up against his side as Hiei wraps an arm around her shoulders.**

"**I think there are some things you should know about me. About my past."**

**Shikonei nods into his shoulder, "I'm listening."**

"**Hn. You don't have to say it I know you are. Anyway, my past…" he sighs, "First, when I was a baby, I could see and hear everything around me, and understood everything. I was only days old when the Koorime threw me over the edge of their haven in the sky. They were afraid of me even as an infant. I don't know whether or not that makes me lucky, or cursed."**

**Shikonei's eyebrows furrow in frustration.**

"**At the time of my birth, my mother also bore a girl. My twin sister, no fire in her at all, was safe as an ice maiden. Like me, I wonder if she was also lucky, but then, was she also cursed by having to like in that god-forsaken place knowing what they had done to her twin brother."**

**Shikonei looks up at Hiei, surprised, she would have never guessed that Hiei would have any kind of sibling. Hiei looks back at her to see compassion and empathy.**

**She lays her head back down on his shoulder to hear more, but Hiei just sighs and leans his own head on top of hers.**

**The silence stretches on for some time before Shikonei starts to sing a soft lullaby sounding of sweet sorrow and the wondrous pain of the past.**

**Hiei's eyelids begin to grow heavy as he listens to the seductive melody in words he cannot understand. He is suddenly deeply asleep, breathing heavily.**

**Shikonei's song ends, "Hiei? I want you to know that I'm here for you no matter what. No matter what happens, I will be here to talk to."**

**Silence.**

"**Hiei?"**

**She looks up to see his sleeping face. She finds it to be absolutely adorable. Shikonei kisses him on the forehead before cuddling up against his chest and falling asleep herself.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**The next two years pass rather uneventfully other than Hiei's intense physical training. He finally learns how to switch between his demon and human form successfully, although he is never able to hide the slit on his forehead that is his Jagan eye.**

**Shikonei is impressed by Hiei's enthusiasm to learn. He always makes sure to be the first once outside to the training grounds, already finished stretching by the time Shikonei manages to be there herself. **

**Even so, she makes him stretch all over again with her. He always complies without complaint, though, which gives Shikonei more of an incentive to even train the pain in the ass even more.**

**Shikonei still finds herself having troubles coping with Hiei's attitudes while keeping her anger in check. She finds herself less and less tolerant of it each time.**

**One spring afternoon, Shikonei is cooking lunch when Hiei walks in to help himself to a sandwich. **

"**If you would wait twenty more minutes, you could have a heartier meal than just a measly sandwich." Shikonei says to him, facing the stove.**

"**Hn. Whatever. I don't have time for you to stand around and cook meals."**

**Shikonei spins around, shocked, and extremely pissed, at Hiei's harsh words.**

**When Hiei fails to respond to her, she snaps.**

"**AAAGH! WHAT IS **_**WRONG**_** WITH YOU, HIEI? ISN'T IT ENOUGH THAT I TRY TO BE THERE FOR YOU? I JUST DON'T GET YOU!" Shikonei is screaming at the top of her lungs, but Hiei just walks away.**

"**You should really try controlling that anger of yours." Is all he says.**

"**Why – you…" Shikonei tackles him to the ground from behind and aims a blow to his face.**

**Hiei looks up into the enraged face of his sensei and realizes he won't walk away from this one if he doesn't do something. So, of all things to do, he fights back.**

**They begin to wrestle violently on the kitchen floor, sometimes switching positions from being the one on the bottom to the one on the top. **

**Shikonei's rage seems to have made her weaken in defense, which allows Hiei to finally pin her down by her arms, his knees on each side of her hips.**

**Shikonei struggles, but to no avail. Anger and hurt reflect in her eyes as she looks into the ruby eyes glaring back at her.**

**At that very moment, Kurama enters the kitchen, looking cautiously in on the quarrel to see if he could help.**

**Shikonei and Hiei's heads swivel towards Kurama simultaneously. Shikonei notices Hiei's attention is diverted and swiftly takes action with a swift knee to the groin. **_**Hard.**_

**Hiei yells and groans, "Cheap shot."**

**Shikonei quickly rises from the ground gaining back her composure.**

"**That's what you get for letting down your guard in a fight with me."**

**She brushes off the dust from her knees and and elbows. Huffing, she storms past a very bewildered Kurama.**

"**I can't believe she just kneed you in the groin." Kurama states.**

**Hiei groans, again, "Well, believe it." He winces, "Damn, I think she broke the skin." And just to test it, he sticks his hand down his pants. He brings his hand back up to his face to see blood. "Ah, shit," his vision blurs and he passes out from the combined shock and pain.**

**Kurama's eyes widen in his own shock as he swiftly goes out in search of his sister. He finds her trying to calm herself at the waterfall.**

"**Shikonei, you literally busted him up. He's bleeding."**

**Shikonei turns towards her twin and pales, "Oh, shit. I didn't think it was **_**that**_** hard. He's going to be really pissed at me now." She covers her face with her hands and sighs.**

**Kurama kneels beside her and places an arm around her, "It's alright. I think as long as you heal him, he won't hold too much of a grudge." He smiles lightly at her.**

"**I don't know what I'm going to do, Kurama. It's so frustrating to see him behave so…erratically. I **_**love**_** him, Kurama. I love him so much it hurts to see him as he is now."**

**Kurama nearly falls over; that's two confessions. He's not quite sure what to say so he keeps quiet.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Tatsuyoshi howls in triumph. This is what he had been waiting for all along. Now he could finally set his plans into motion, but he would wait just a bit longer.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Hiei manages to finally get to his feet, a sharp pain shooting from his groin throughout his entire body. He starts to think that he may still be bleeding.**

**He grits his teeth and growls as he walks outside, following his sensei's ki signature. He knows that the only way to escape from her wrath is through gaining her forgiveness. Actually getting to her is the problem as Hiei goes down on a knee as a particular sharp pain racks his body.**

**He eventually finds his way to the clearing around the waterfall and sees Shikonei in the water. She is resting her head on her folded arms on the outcropping of rock.**

**Hiei grunts and limps to her.**

**Shikonei looks up at him.**

"**I'm sorry. My actions were rash and rather harsh. I'm sorry."**

**Hiei recoils. This had not been something he was expecting. He didn't think that she would be the one apologizing. He knows that he still has to apologize anyway.**

**Before he can even open his mouth to speak, his vision blurs and his body sways. Shikonei grimaces in shock, "Is it really that bad?"**

**Hiei barely nods, using every ounce of will power not to drop unconscious again.**

"**Drop them." Hiei doesn't quite comprehend her words, "Your pants. Drop them."**

**Hiei's vision clears suddenly as he eyes his sensei suspiciously. She sighs exasperatedly.**

"**I want to help you. And in order for me to do that, I need to see the damage that has been done. Now, take off your pants and sit on the edge of this rock." She pats the rock in front of her.**

**Hiei hesitates a minute before finally complying. He shoves his pants to the ground and he sits on the spot that Shikonei had indicated. The cool rock feels good against his flaming skin.**

**Shikonei lifts an eyebrow as she examines him, being as gentle as she possibly can.**

"**Wow. Nice." Hiei's face turns deep red as he looks away from her. She laughs softly.**

"**Sorry, I'll try to preserve your dignity. Damn, I really did bust your balls. In the literal sense." Shikonei sighs, "This is going to need stitching. Don't worry, you'll still be able to reproduce."**

**Hiei stiffens as he watches her conjure a needle and thread out of thin air. **_**This is not going to be fun. This is going to hurt worse than the actual breaking of the skin.**_** Hiei winces.**

**Shikonei threads the needle and brings it to the wound. She puts the needle through, but has to stop as Hiei howls in pain.**

"**God damn it, woman!" He slams onto his back, unable to control his convulsions.**

**Shikonei frowns, "This will never work."**

**She slides her hand under his back and pinches his spine at his waist.**

**Hiei's pain suddenly stops, but he finds that he can't move.**

"**What did you do? How come I can't move?"**

"**I've temporarily paralyzed you from the waist down. This way you can't move and you won't feel any pain."**

"**Why didn't you just do that in the first place?" Hiei growls.**

**Shikonei continues to stitch him up with a mischievous smile on her face. Hiei sighs, knowing why.**

"**Look…I – I'm sorry. I was out of line."**

**Her smile fades, "I know you are, but you're right. You were out of line. I don't think you understand that I care about you, Hiei. Your erratic actions worry me."**

**Hiei looks guiltily away, wishing he could tell her.**_** It would only get in the way. Or worse, get one, or both, of us hurt.**_

**A few minutes later, Shikonei climbs out of the water and grabs Hiei's pants off of the ground.**

"**All done. You can get up now."**

**Hiei glares at her, "Very funny. I can't, remember? You paralyzed me."**

**Shikonei blinks at him a few times, "Oh, right. Sorry." She kneels beside him and turns him over, pinching his spine a little higher up this time. Feeling quickly returns to Hiei's legs and nether regions.**

**Shikonei smiles broadly, "Hm. Nice ass."**

**Hiei gapes at her, stunned, as she starts to laugh softly, "I'm only messing with you. Although, it really isn't that bad." She makes it so that it's obvious that she's looking at his now clothed butt.**

**Hiei involuntarily blushes as Shikonei walks away softly laughing. Hiei decides to take revenge by looking at **_**her**_** ass as she walks away. An evil smile grows on his face as an idea forms in his mind.**

**He walks directly behind her and cups his hand on her butt, "Yours isn't half bad, either." He grins devilishly at her as he disappears in a blur.**

**Shikonei comes to a halt as a deep red blush covers her face. **

"**WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" she screams. Hiei watches from above in a tree, grinning maniacally.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

_**Two years pass.**_

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**Shikonei wakes with a start. Her dream had been disturbing and sweat is beading on her forehead. She looks over to see Hiei's missing form from bed.**

**After the night she had confronted him, Shikonei decided that it would be best not to leave him alone all the time.**

**So, they would spend half their nights talking. About anything from books to fighting techniques to even comparing their thoughts on a certain event from that day. They were becoming rather close.**

**Shikonei gets up, knowing that Hiei is already outside waiting for her to begin stretching. She moves to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Kurama is there and he gives his sister a tight daily morning hug.**

"**Did Hiei decide to sleep in this morning?" He asks her teasingly.**

"**Heh, you know very well that he didn't. Besides, he doesn't sleep."**

**Kurama frowns, "I haven't seen him all morning. Come to think about it, I never saw him come in last night."**

**This earns a glance from his twin, "What do you mean he 'never came in'?"**

**Kurama shrugs, "I don't know. Maybe he just decided to star gaze in one of the trees. Go see if you can't find him."**

**Shikonei frowns. It isn't like Hiei to not come to bed, even if he doesn't sleep. **_**He's too afraid of even going anywhere without telling me. He's thinks I'll beat the shit out of him for sneaking off. I probably would.**_

**After a quick skim of the surrounding woods, Shikonei comes back to the house, frustrated. She starts looking for things unusual. **_**Unfamiliar ki signatures for example.**_

**At least, unfamiliar to her home. She examines the trail a little more and quickly stands with a furious snarl. She hurries back inside to tell Kurama.**

"**Damn it. He was here and I didn't even know it." She gasps, "He was manipulating my dreams so I wouldn't wake up. So I wouldn't think anything was wrong. DAMN IT!"**

**Kurama looks at his twin in confusion, "Care to elaborate?"**

**Shikonei turns on him, "Tatsuyoshi! He kidnapped Hiei to get to me. There, good enough?"**

**Kurama lifts an eyebrow, "I'm sorry, but, did you say Tatsuyoshi?"**

**Shikonei screams in frustration, "YES! TATSUYOSHI! The demon that attached me to that tree!"**

**Dawning appears on Kurama's face. **_**Now he gets it!**_** Shikonei leaves the house, exasperated. Kurama quickly follows.**

"**What are you going to do?"**

"**Kurama, I have never known you to act so dumb and innocent. Wise up! I'm going after Tatsuyoshi to defeat him once and for all. He will **_**not**_** get the best of me this time."**

**Tatsuyoshi's hide-out is nothing of a secret and Shikonei easily finds him.**

**She stands in the doorway of a darkened room. Monitors on the west wall are the only source of light. Southeast of her is Hiei, chained to metal posts. He seems to be conscious.**

**Between the monitors and Hiei stand Tatsuyoshi, a wide grin across his face.**

"**Welcome, Shikonei! It's been a long time. Too long, in fact. I must say that I have been longing to see you finally DIE!"**

**At this, a six-foot wide axe drops from the ceiling to fall on the unsuspecting Shikonei.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

A/N: Yay!! I'm finally done!! WOOHOO!! If you hadn't noticed, there were a couple of things that I experimented with in this chapter…such as actually mentioning the fact that Shikonei has fox ears and tail…yeah…too much to think about so it probably won't be mentioned again unless absolutely necessary…I also experimented with calling Kurama by 'Yoko' but decided that it was a bit much and a bit too late in the story to be putting it in there. Oh, well…it won't happen again…but, yet again, it will if I decide that it is absolutely necessary…that aside…

I AM STARTING A BRAND SPANKING NEW FANFIC!!! gasp HOWEVER!!! It has nothing to do with this story or it's story line…BUT!!! Until this story is done, not much progress will be made in the new one…AND!!! My new fanfic will be completely dedicated to Unolai since she devoted one of her chapters to me in her story!! I was so happy!! squeal but, yeah…please review!! And if you won't review, at least give me cookies, I like those, too… (yes, I realize I ended this chapter as a cliff-hanger, but, oh, well…you readers will get over it!! Lol…love you guys!!)

I will soon be promoting some authors in my story. First to be promoted is…!!!

JAGANSHIKENSHIN!! gushes the literary amazingness is too much to behold!! And too great to be expressed in words…you'll just have to go read Idiot Beloved and it's sequel Firebird Sweet for yourself…it simply is amazing work!! (btw, please update soon!! I miss your work!!)

Okay…enough of my rambling…I have a prologue of a new story to put up and a new chapter to start for this one!! Ciao!! And thank you for reading!! phew


	13. Chapter 9: The Past that Ends

**Chapter 9: The Past that Ends**

"**SHIKONEI! NO! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"**

**Shikonei doesn't budge except to raise an arm and effortlessly stops the giant axe just inches from her head.**

**Hiei stares at his sensei in utter shock. **_**Why had I never sensed her power before? Had she been holding that much of it back? It's simply amazing how strong she is.**_** Hiei realizes that, of all the beatings that she had dealt out on him, she had been holding back, keeping herself from actually beating the living hell out of him. Cold sweat runs down his face in fear.**

**Tatsuyoshi grins, "I wouldn't expect anything less from the almighty Shikonei. But, what would you do," he moves towards the chained up Hiei, "if I were to suddenly cut into this boy's flesh." He raises his black sword to Hiei's arm and slashes through his skin. Hiei cries out in pain as blood splashes to the floor.**

**Shikonei's face contorts in anger, "You…BASTARD! How dare you involve him! If you wanted to fight, then you should have just come to me!"**

**Tatsuyoshi's grin broadens, "Awe, but where's the fun in that? It's so much more enjoyable to see you suffer!"**

**Shikonei growls as Tatsuyoshi cuts through Hiei's other arm. She disappears from sight.**

'_**Shikonei?'**_** Hiei calls out with his mind, remembering the link that had somehow formed between them years ago.**

'_**I'm here. Don't worry. I'm getting you out of here. Do something for me?'**_

'_**Anything, sensei. You know that.'**_** Hiei senses her smile through their link.**

'_**Distract him. In any way that you can think of.'**_

'_**Right. Got it.'**_

'_**As long as doesn't involve getting yourself hurt.'**_

'_**Well, there goes that idea.'**_

"**Shikonei, my dove, come out, come out wherever you are!" Tatsuyoshi cackles.**

"**Why would she come out?" Hiei says to him, "That's part of the game. She wants you to find her. But you probably don't even have the power to sense her ki, do you?" Hiei sneers at him.**

"**Silence! I need to listen for her breathing." Tatsuyoshi frowns.**

'_**Keep talking, Hiei.'**_

**Hiei doesn't waste time, "Her breathing? Seriously? You think she'd let herself be caught like that? You are underestimating her greatly for someone who wants to kill her. I think we both know who's **_**really**_** going to be the one dying today."**

**Tatsuyoshi gets pissed at this, "Don't underestimate **_**me **_**boy!" He raises his fist to deliver a blow, but he never makes contact.**

**Shikonei comes in and slices Tatsuyoshi through the gut.**

'_**Nicely done, Hiei. Let's finish this.'**_** Shikonei cuts the chains on Hiei's wrists and ankles as Tatsuyoshi clings to his wound.**

"**How are those cuts?" Shikonei glances sideways at Hiei, looking for signs of weakness.**

"**Fine. They aren't too deep."**

**Shikonei nods, "Here, I think you'll need this."**

**She pulls a jade sword off of her back and hands it too him.**

**Hiei looks at it, astonished, "This is the sword you gave me…!"**

"**Yes. Now, show me what you've learned! Prove to me that you have what it takes to be called a **_**true**_** swordsman!"**

**Hiei nods as he unsheathes the sword.**

**Tatsuyoshi stands with a great yell.**

**Teacher and pupil nod at each other as they each disappear in different directions. They use their mind link to strategize and team up against their large adversary.**

**Hiei comes up behind the brute, but doesn't realize that Tatsuyoshi is waiting for this. Suddenly, Hiei is being held six feet in the air by the throat.**

**Shikonei ceases her attack as she sees this. Her eyes widen as Tatsuyoshi punches Hiei in the stomach hard enough to make him cough up blood. Hiei winces before passing out.**

**Shikonei looks at him, horrified. She then turns her glance on Tatsuyoshi, her features portraying pure rage.**

**Shikonei's eyes begin to glow bright green and a wind begins to blow sharply all around the enclosed room. **

**Tatsuyoshi cackles insanely, "Now **_**this**_** is what I've been waiting for!" He tosses Hiei's limp body across the room. He lands against the wall with a thud.**

**Shikonei snaps. Her eyes still glowing, she charges Tatsuyoshi with a fistful of lightning taken from the storm conjuring in the room.**

**Tatsuyoshi's eyes widen as he stops laughing, "Oh, shit."**

**Shikonei's fist thrusts through his chest, cleanly ripping straight through it and leaving a gaping hole. Electricity flows painfully through Tatsuyoshi's body, frying him quickly to a crisp.**

"**I should have known…" Tatsuyoshi whispers as he dies, "not to mess with a demon's chosen mate."**

**Shikonei turns to his dying body, "Now is not exactly the time for regret. But you're right."**

**Tatsuyoshi smiles and dies. **

**Shikonei sighs and the storm dies down as the glow in her eyes fades. She walks over to Hiei's unconscious body. She places her hands on his chest, feeling for broken bones. **

**Two ribs are cracked while three are completely shattered. Nothing else seems to be broken. Shikonei quickly begins healing her pupil's wounds.**

'_**Hiei? Hiei, can you hear me?'**_** Hiei stirs.**

'_**Sensei?'**_

'_**Yes, Hiei, it's me. How do you feel?'**_** Hiei ponders this for a moment.**

'_**Like you kneed me in the groin, again, except in the chest.'**_** He hears her soft laughter in his mind. Or is it really in his mind?**

**Hiei opens his eyes to see his sensei leaning over him, a small worried smile on her face. Her hands are up, palms facing him, sending out a bright green glow.**

"**What are you doing?"**

**Shikonei rolls her eyes, "What does it look like, baka? I'm healing you."**

"**Heh, right." Hiei winces, "Ow."**

**Shikonei frowns and the glow from her hands grows stronger.**

**Hiei sighs, the pain slowly easing from his ribs. Shikonei's face relaxes as Hiei's body does.**

"**Get some sleep, Hiei. You need it."**

**Hiei grins, "You know I don't sleep. At least, not on my own, but, for some reason, when you sing, it relaxes me and I'm somehow able to sleep."**

**Shikonei smiles at him and the glow disappears from her hands. She brings them to rest his shoulders. **

**She pulls him into a hug and begins humming a tune that Hiei has become very familiar with. He relaxes with a sigh and wraps his own arms around his sensei and falls asleep.**

**Shikonei continues to hum for a while before gathering him up and carrying him home.**

**Kurama meets them at the door and is shocked by their condition. He doesn't have time to ask before Shikonei answers him.**

"**Let's just say an old foe has been defeated. Hiei has done well."**

**Kurama smiles at his sister as he watches her take Hiei to his bed.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

_**One year later…**_

**Snow gently falls to the earth bringing with it the feeling of Christmas. Shikonei stands outside the front door looking up at the sky as Ikino tries to eat the falling snowflakes.**

**Hiei comes around the corner of the house and stops when he sees his sensei standing at the door. He watches her for a few moments before approaching her. **_**I wish I could stay with her forever. To stand by her side through every obstacle.**_

**Shikonei looks away from the sky to watch her pupil come in from his personal training. She smirks, "Ready for the **_**real**_** training to begin?"**

**Hiei smirks back, "What are you talking about? It's all real."**

"**Sure it is." She runs off into the forest, Hiei following closely behind.**

**At the end of the day, after teacher and student have finished showering, Kurama approaches Hiei. Shikonei is in the kitchen cooking supper.**

"**What do you say tomorrow you and I do some Christmas shopping for her? She deserves it." Kurama winks at the fire apparition.**

**Hiei glances at the kitchen door then back at the male kitsune, "Alright. I'll go, but I don't have the slightest idea what to get for her."**

**Kurama grins broadly, "Leave that up to me."**

**And so, the next day, Kurama and Hiei leave for the market. To keep Shikonei from being suspicious, they tell her that Kurama wishes to show Hiei a few tricks of his own. It seems to work.**

"**Fine. I wanted a day off anyway." She then turns and disappears into her workshop.**

**Kurama and Hiei shrug at each other then head out.**

**At the market, Kurama stops at a flower shop and buys a dozen flowers, half red roses and half black orchids. He grins a bit sheepishly at Hiei, "Tradition. I get these for her every year."**

**They pass a booth filled with pendants and one catches Hiei's eye. It is a dark silver dragon wrapped around a long sword and in its claws it holds a smoky emerald. Hiei cups the pendant in his hand. It fits nicely in the center of his palm. The chain attached to the pendant is the same dark silver and is at least six inches long. **

**Hiei looks up at Kurama, "This is perfect."**

**Kurama grins, "So it is."**

_**Meanwhile…**_

**Shikonei slaves away in her workshop, working on her own Christmas gift. A knock sounds on the front door and Shikonei reluctantly puts down her tools to go answer it.**

**She opens the door to see her apprentice standing there with the most apprehensive smile on her face. Shikonei steps back to allow Kyramei to enter into the house.**

"**When does he want me?" Shikonei eyes the messenger and healer.**

**Kyramei's face alights with shock, "You mean you'll take it? You're ready to come back?"**

**Shikonei nods, "For a while. I don't think I should leave Hiei here alone for too long. It could prove to be…problematic. Not just for obvious reasons, but for his emotions. Who knows what would become of them?"**

**Kyramei nods, "Just take them one at a time, then?" Shikonei nods back.**

"**He wants you the week after Christmas. Something big is going on. He sent me to give you the details." Shikonei frowns.**

"**Follow me. I need to keep working." The two enter back into Shikonei's workshop as they continue their conversation and Shikonei pounds away on the metal. **

**Shikonei sometimes interrupts their conversations by quizzing her apprentice on various healing techniques and herbs. After approximately two hours, Kyramei announces that she must return to work and leaves Shikonei alone for another hour or so.**

**The boys hastily return home after Kurama makes a few mysterious purchases for the Christmas occasion. They creep inside, hoping that Shikonei isn't around to see their bundles. **

**Luckily, she is still shut up in her workshop, so they take what they have up to their rooms.**

**They both creep back downstairs and pretend to re-enter the house, making as much noise as possible with their feet and the door. No sounds come from the workshop except the sound of a hammer against metal.**

**Kurama and Hiei shrug at each other again and Kurama goes up to the workshop door. He knocks loudly three times, "Shikonei? We're back!"**

**The hammering stops and the door is suddenly yanked open, showing a soot covered Shikonei.**

**Kurama steps back, wrinkling his nose, "You may want to bathe before you start making dinner." He subtly puts a hand over his nose, the combined smell of her sweat and the soot overwhelming his sensitive nose.**

**Shikonei nods, "I'm glad you're home." She hurries over to Hiei and grabs his right hand and starts examining it, turning it over a few times.**

"**Uh, sensei? What are you –" Shikonei then drops his hand and disappears once again into her workshop.**

**Hiei lifts an eyebrow at the closed door, "Okay, she's lost it."**

**Kurama smirks knowingly, "We'll just have to let her be." Kurama pauses, staring at the door where she had disappeared, "We'll also have to cook our own dinner. She's doing anything until she's finished her project."**

**Hiei looks at the kitsune, worried, "She won't even sleep?"**

**Kurama shakes his, "You shouldn't worry about her, though. She knows what she's doing."**

**Hiei glances at the closed door once more before going to the kitchen.**

**Shikonei doesn't emerge from her work until the next afternoon. She quickly proceeds to the washroom, completely covered in grime.**

**When Hiei sees her disappear upstairs and she doesn't return, he follows up to check on her. To his surprise, she isn't in bed sleeping as he thought she would be.**

**He goes to the roof, and, sure enough, there she sits, staring into the crescent moonlight. Hiei takes a seat next to her and she leans her head on his shoulder. She smells slightly of soot, but her other scents come through much stronger and Hiei leans into it, slightly laying his head on hers.**

"**Hiei."**

"**Hm?"**

"**I'm going to be leaving soon, but I'll be back."**

**Hiei sits up at this, "When?"**

"**The week after Christmas."**

**Hiei casts his eyes at the ground, "How long?"**

**At this, Shikonei sighs, "I'm not sure. I shouldn't be gone much longer than a month or two. That's assuming nothing goes wrong."**

**Hiei scoots away from his sensei, making her lift her head, so that he is able to look her in the eyes.**

"**What do you mean? Just what is it that you're leaving for?"**

**She looks back into the sky, "I can't stop working forever. Koenma needs his Spirit Detective." Hiei frowns.**

"**I see. You're sure you'll come back?"**

**Shikonei laughs, "Of course. You think I could leave you alone for the rest of your life? You'd get yourself into more trouble than you could handle by yourself."**

**Hiei joins her in her soft laughter, enjoying the joke. He scoots back over and places in arm around his sensei's shoulder. She lays her head back on his shoulder and together they gaze into the starry sky.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**On Christmas morning, the ground is covered in a thick blanket of pure white snow. Not even the hyperactive Ikino has enough energy to soil it all.**

**Shikonei and Hiei walk downstairs together to the Christmas tree where Kurama is waiting for them with a broad grin.**

"**Merry Christmas, you two!" he greets them.**

**Shikonei gives him the most brilliant smile Hiei has ever seen her smile. It brings a smile to his own lips.**

"**Merry Christmas, brother!" They embrace tightly before sitting on the floor around the tree.**

**Shikonei looks up at Hiei who is still standing, "What are you just standing there for? Sit down with us."**

**Hiei obliges.**

"**You don't seriously believe that we wouldn't get you any gifts, do you? You're a part of the family now." Kurama and Shikonei each pass him a gift. He takes them tenderly into his grasp.**

**For the first time in his life, he has Christmas presents. Hiei has never felt such joy in receiving such gifts, but he feels he would much rather watch the kitsune twins open their gifts from him. He sets his gifts aside and passes each of them a gift.**

**Kurama and Shikonei exchange gifts between the two of them. They each save one gift for last. Kurama and Hiei both choose Shikonei's gifts while she chooses Hiei's gift.**

**Kurama opens the gift from his sister and thanks her with kiss on the cheek. With a smile, Shikonei opens her gift from Hiei. As soon as she sees it, her smile vanishes and she turns her wide golden gaze onto Hiei.**

**Hiei just looks at her confused. **_**'What's the matter? Don't you like it?'**_** Hiei opted for their mind link to speak.**

"**It's…Hiei…" Shikonei's eyes begin to shimmer as she looks over at her student.**

'_**It's absolutely gorgeous, Hiei. I love it. Thank you.'**_** She hands the necklace over to Hiei, "Will you put it on me?"**

**Hiei nods with a smile as she turns around and lifts her hair. As Hiei clasps the necklace around her neck, he leans over and whispers in her ear, "Your welcome."**

**Shikonei turns around immediately and tackles him with a hug. **

**Trying desperately not to fall over, Hiei glances at Kurama who is wearing the goofiest grin. Hiei looks above his head where the male kitsune is staring and pales.**

**Shikonei feels Hiei's body stiffen against hers so she looks up at him, confused. She then notices where he's looking. She, too, pales as she sees the hanging mistletoe in plain sight right above them.**

**Her face then turns red in anger, "Kurama! I'm going to…kill you!" and she tackles her brother to the ground.**

**Hiei can't seem to take his eyes off of the mistletoe as he feels his face flush. **_**We came so close to having to kiss. I don't know if I could have handled it. I'm glad that she's a quick thinker.**_

**Hiei quickly sets ablaze to the menacing plant. Shikonei sits up at the smell of it burning and looks up with a smirk.**

"**Hiei, open your gift from me!" Shikonei crawls excitedly over to Hiei as he grabs the brightly wrapped box.**

**The box is rather large, but surprisingly isn't too heavy. It does have some weight to it, though.**

**Hiei tears off the paper and sets it aside. He places his hands on the edges of the box, pausing just before pulling off the lid.**

**Shikonei looks up at him with bright, excited eyes, "Well, what do you think?"**

**Hiei is speechless. Inside is a long sword, much like the one on the necklace he had bought for her. The blade is polished to a mirror finish. The hilt is the same ruby color as his eye, yet a bit darker. Embedded into the hilt are three stones; a ruby, an emerald, and a diamond. A dragon flame is etched into the metal of the blade and stretches down the whole length of the sword.**

'_**Speechless, then?'**_

**Hiei looks up at his sensei and nods.**

'_**Very much so, but, what about the your old sword that you gave me?'**_

**Shikonei frowns, "That sword is more or less useless. Besides, it wasn't made for you. This one is." She smiles again, "Pick it up! See how it feels in your hand."**

**He does and is amazed by how perfectly it fits into his hand. Something hits him then.**

'_**So that's why you were examining my hand when we came back.'**_

'_**Yes. I also knew that you two weren't out training.'**_** She winks at her pupil.**

**Hiei shakes his head, "You're just full of surprises everyday, aren't you?"**

**Shikonei ducks her head, "Yeah, I suppose I am."**

**Hiei is about to put the sword back in the box, when he notices that underneath the sword there had been something else there too. A leather sheathe, black and red in color. The kanji for fire is etched into the tough letter in an ice blue color towards the top. He picks it up and examines the workmanship.**

"**Did you make this, too?"**

**Shikonei nods. Another thought occurs to him.**

"**Does he know?" Shikonei looks at him in curiosity, confused. Hiei sighs in frustration. **_**So much for the mind link.**_

"**Does Kurama know?" Shikonei pales as she understands what he's asking. She shakes her head and turns to her brother. Hiei speaks first.**

"**He's your brother. Why wouldn't you tell him?"**

"**Tell me what? Shikonei? What's going on?"**

**She looks down and sighs, "I'm leaving. Koenma keeps asking for me and I can't ignore him anymore. I won't be gone too long."**

**Kurama's eyebrows furrow, "When and for long?"**

"**I leave in a week for approximately two months." Shikonei winces, "Sorry. Hiei's right. I should have told you."**

**Kurama nods solemnly, "It's to be expected." He looks up with a grin, "Besides, **_**that**_** foe was defeated. I'm not worried. I'm actually glad that you'll be bringing in some money for this house."**

**The next week passes quickly as Shikonei prepares for departure. A somber mood fills the house as her final day home approaches.**

**On her last night, Shikonei decides to spend the night with Hiei. She lies snuggled against his chest while Hiei's arms wrap around her shoulders. He rests his chin on top of her head.**

_**I'm not ready to let her leave. I'll miss her too much.**_** Hiei sighs.**

"**I know, Hiei, but I won't be gone for long. Two months will go by in a breeze." She sighs into his shoulder, "As strange as it is, I have to admit, I'll miss you, Hiei."**

**Hiei sighs back, "Heh. It is strange, but I'll miss you, too." Shikonei nestles deeper into his chest.**

"**Do you mind if I sing to you, Hiei?" Hiei places a hand on the back of her head.**

"**Please do." He whispers. To sleep by her side once more time is better than any gift she, or anyone else, could ever have ever given him for Christmas.**

**Shikonei's humming turns into words of her foreign language. Sweet and sensual, the language enters Hiei's mind and relaxes him. He becomes aware of every part of Shikonei's body that touches his.**

**Her knees against his. Her waist against his. Her chest and arms against his chest. Her cheek against his shoulder and his cheek against her forehead.**

**Hiei's eyelids become heavy as her foreign words become familiar words, and he falls asleep with a sigh as Shikonei reaches up and strokes his hair.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

**The sun peeks over the horizon as Kurama and Hiei see Shikonei off.**

**Shikonei embraces her twin tightly with an exchange of a soft kiss on the forehead.**

"**Come home safely, my dear sister."**

"**Of course, my dear brother." Shikonei turns to Hiei and smiles.**

"**Well, fireboy, I guess this is it." Hiei laughs.**

"**Fireboy? Where did that come from?" Shikonei winks.**

"**Just something I came up with just now." She frowns suddenly and wraps her arms around him in a tight embrace.**

**Hiei is shocked at first, but he closes his eyes and returns the hug tightly. Shikonei pulls away so that their faces are just inches apart and she looks into Hiei's ruby eyes.**

**Hiei looks straight back into her golden stare, his reflection looking back at him.**

"**Stay out of trouble." And she presses her lips to his briefly before disappearing into the sunrise.**

**0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

A/N: WOOHOO!!! Got done with Chapter 9 in record time!! Bad news, though…this is the last chapter!!! cries there will be an epilogue, though, so don't worry!!! And there is also the sequel to look forward to!! And guess what?? I've already started on the prologue on it!! 3 please review!! And if you don't want to review, at least give me cookies so I at least know that you're reading!! Anyway, now I can also work on my new story, too!! The first chapter should be up soon after the epilogue is posted for this one. Well, love you all!! Ciao!! 3


	14. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**She never came back. It's been 115 years since then and the only proof that she even still lives are the letters that I receive from her every month.**

**I put my hand to my lips. I can still feel that fleeting kiss she gave me as she departed from us forever.**

**I have taken up sitting on this damn windowsill in the company of others so I don't have to feel the emptiness inside of me without her. I still think about her, though, as I sit on this windowsill.**

**Her letter is late this month. I'm actually a bit worried. I know I shouldn't be. It's only been two days. I sigh. Closing my eyes, I lean my head against the wall.**

**Yusuke comes in with the mail, "Hey, Kurama…"**

**I vaguely comprehend him say something about mail. She never sends her letters by mail. They just…appear. Always when I'm least expecting, too. Right next to my damn unsuspecting hand.**

"**Hiei," I hear Kurama call my name, "There's one here for you, too."**

**I take the letter from the kitsune.**

**It's from her.**

**Shikonei.**

_**To be continued…**_


End file.
